Beginnings
by Frost1610
Summary: One-shots about some of the ways Caryl could have begun.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, so here is the new story. As I said in The Making of a Man of Honor, this will be a series of one-shots. The idea is that it will be all the ways Caryl could have happened, though I'm more than willing to do requests for other things. This is not a "fix it" fic. While I'm chronically annoyed that the writers can't just give us all what we want (read: Caryl), the show is fantastically written and there is very little I'd ever want to the fix. This is simply some of the ways it could have happened throughout the seasons. **

**Now on to the question you're all probably asking: Will there be smut? Of course there will. I'll try to warn at the beginning in case there are those who are interested in the fic, but not in the smut.**

**This particular one-shot occurs around "Guts," "Tell it to the Frogs," "Vatos," and "Wildfire." Obviously not necessarily AU, but obviously not totally canon. **

**Smut? Not in this one, sorry ya'll. I just couldn't make it happen for this one and you'll see why. **

**Oh, also, harsh language and Ed warning.**

TWD

It was late. The kids had finally settled down and the adults had followed soon afterward. The minutes crawled by as Carol waited for her husband to fall asleep. As soon as Ed started to snore Carol grabbed a basket and headed for the quarry lake.

She sat on the rocks scrubbing at the blood stains on Ed's shirt—evidence of his latest tirade over something she couldn't even remember doing now. She knew she should have been paying more attention, but she just couldn't muster the energy to care. Ed managed to beat that out of her on a daily basis recently. Carol was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her from behind.

A gruff whisper brought her back to present. "You out here tryin' ta be walker bait, or what?"

Carol sucked in a surprised breath, only to take in another as she turned around and came face to face with Daryl Dixon.

"J-just, uh, finishing laundry." She offered.

"Shouldn't be out here alone." Daryl didn't really know why he'd stopped. He didn't want to get involved, but he just couldn't shake the need to make sure they didn't lose anyone else in their group. Despite Merle's original scheme to rob the group of supplies and run, Daryl felt himself drawn into the group.

"I'm fine." She knew she sounded irritated, but she just wanted to get Ed's clothes cleaned up so she could get some sleep. She had no desire to face the beating that would await her if that shirt wasn't clean come morning.

"You could leave him, you know." It was a statement, not a question. He wished he could just shut his damned mouth. It was going to get him in trouble if he kept on, but that didn't stop him. "We'll move on. Take your little girl and just go without him. It's that simple."

"I don't—" Carol stopped, afraid that the tears would spill over. She didn't understand why he'd stopped. He spent most of his time on the outskirts of the group, he was surly, and he didn't seem to like anyone. Yet here he was, telling her she could leave her husband. She felt anger overtake the tears. "Why do you even care?"

Daryl shrugged.

Carol sighed and turned back to the stained shirt. She fully expected that Daryl would walk away, but he didn't. Instead he dropped down onto a boulder and watched as she finished cleaning the shirt.

Daryl was drawn to this woman and he couldn't understand why. She was married. Furthermore she was married to an abusive asshole she didn't seem to want to leave. It should have been a turn off, but it only served to make him want to protect her. It wasn't like he could run it by Merle for advice. First of all, Merle would call him a pussy and knock him around to straighten him out. Once he'd beaten it out of Daryl, he'd probably tease him mercilessly about wanting a woman like that. Second of all, he sure as hell didn't want Merle's advice about women seeing as how Carol was most definitely not the type of woman Merle was into—his type being meth addled whores.

Finally Carol stood and held the shirt up to the moonlight to inspect it. She seemed satisfied and picked up the rest of her belongings to head back to camp. Daryl followed close behind. About halfway back to camp Carol slipped on a rock and lurched forward. Before she could hit the ground a strong arm wrapped around her waist and yanked her back to standing.

"Watch your step." Daryl mumbled into her ear.

Carol stood stock still as the arm around her waist held her longer than necessary. The feel of Daryl's breath whispering across her neck caused goose bumps to form. She nodded and let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Before she could thank him a voice broke the silence.

"The hell you think you're doin' bitch?" Ed growled.

Carol felt Daryl tense as he let go of her. "I…Daryl was just making sure—"

She was cut off when Ed reached out slapped her. "That boy don't want you. Ain't anybody wants a used up slut like you." Ed spat.

"Sorry." She whispered.

"Get your ass back to the tent." He growled as he shoved her up the path, not giving Daryl a second glance.

Daryl felt helpless as he watched her walk back to camp.

TWD

The next day held a flurry of activity. A group had gone to scavenge supplies in Atlanta and had returned with a man who turned out to be Lori's husband and Carl's father. The reunion had been bittersweet to watch because much of the group knew about Lori and Shane. It also turned out that Daryl's brother Merle had been left handcuffed on a rooftop due to his erratic behavior.

No one had seen hide nor hair of Daryl. His tent and belongings were still unpacked so everyone assumed he'd gone hunting. Carol hoped he'd be around so she could talk to him about last night. When she and Ed had returned to the tent, he'd really done a number on her. It took everything she had not to show it. She had the feeling that his statement last night had been an offer to help and she was now willing to take him up on it.

Daryl had gone hunting. He didn't really want to be around camp with his brother gone. And he sure as hell didn't want to have to look at Carol after last night. He didn't understand why she went with Ed. He'd offered her an out and she still wouldn't take it. He needed time to clear his head.

TWD

The next day brought Daryl's return. It also brought a Dixon tantrum, the likes of which had previously only been demonstrated by Merle. Daryl was pissed. So pissed, in fact, that he tossed a stringer of squirrels at Rick and then went at him with a knife. Once Shane subdued Daryl and they were able to have a calm discussion it was decided that Rick, Glenn, T-Dog, and Daryl would go back to Atlanta for Merle and the bag of guns that Rick dropped.

It was a long day. Carol, Jacqui, Amy, and Andrea worked on laundry as Ed supervised. Carol tried her best to keep her mind off of Daryl. Her heart ached for him. His brother was a douchebag, as Shane so tactlessly put it, but he was still Daryl's family. She also tried to push thoughts of leaving her husband out of her mind. It just wasn't an option it seemed.

The women reminisced about the things they missed and they all got a good laugh when Carol brought up her vibrator. Of course the laughter set Ed off and what happened next was a blur. By the end of it all Shane had beaten Ed to a pulp and Carol was a sobbing mess if only because the whole debacle would mean another beating tonight.

It was sick, but Carol was almost glad that Ed was too badly hurt to join them for the fish fry. When he'd tried to convince Sophia to stay with him Carol nearly killed him herself. She recognized the look in his eye for what it was and there was no way she was leaving her baby there with him.

A long day turned into an even longer one. While dinner had been fun, a shadow had been cast over the group due to the absence of the others. The night suddenly turned terrifying when walkers over ran camp. Daryl, Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog returned just in time, but not soon enough to save everyone in the group.

Daryl watched as relative calm descended over the group once more. Inventory of injuries and fatalities was taken. He watched on as Carol discovered that Ed was dead and couldn't help but feel a little glad at that fact. He watched as she comforted Sophia before sending the girl off the stay with Rick, Lori, and Carl. He watched as she gathered her meager belongings from their tent and stashed them in her Jeep. He watched as she sat on the old van seats and buried her face in her hands.

Daryl sat silent sentinel over Carol. No one else dared bother her with Daryl nearby. When the soft sobs and shoulder shaking finally subsided he dropped down next to her in the van seat.

"I'm sorry 'bout your—"

"Don't." Carol cut him off. "Don't lie and tell me you're sorry my husband is dead."

Daryl's eyes met hers and then dropped again. "Fine. You're right. I ain't sorry he's dead."

Carol nodded.

"I ain't sorry he cain't hurt ya anymore." Daryl continued. "I am sorry you're hurtin' though."

He immediately regretted his words as a soft sob escaped Carol's lips. He covered her hand with his and squeezed gently trying desperately to convey reassurance. Carol finally looked up at him, her gaze watery and uncertain.

"It'll be okay." He whispered. "Won't let nothin' happen to you an' your little girl."

Daryl pulled Carol to him then. He didn't have a clue what he was supposed to do, but he figured this was as good as anything else. Physical contact made him uneasy. As a child it'd brought him little else but pain. As an adult he'd done his best to avoid it. Now he was jumping in with no life vest in a vain effort to comfort a woman he barely knew, but one whom he felt inexplicably connected to.

Carol collapsed into his arms. Her breathing was slow and steady, the sobs no longer coming regularly. She wasn't sure if she was crying out of relief or grief, but she thought it was probably the former. She knew she shouldn't be happy her husband was dead, but she couldn't help but feel like a weight had been lifted. The beatings had become more regular, especially since the world had gone to hell. And she'd seen the way he'd been looking at Sophia. No longer would she have to worry about protecting the girl from her own father. No longer would she have to hide bruises or act like her whole body didn't feel like it was about to collapse. It was just too bad that the world had to go to hell before she could feel some sort of relief.

Daryl's body felt good against her own. He was a comforting presence, almost like coming home. She let her body melt into his. It'd been a long time since she'd felt anything but disgust when thinking about a man, but Daryl was different. She knew innately that he'd never do to her what Ed had done. Eventually she let her mind slow and exhaustion overtake her.

Daryl was relieved when he felt her breathing even out into a pattern that indicated she was asleep. He was relieved until he realized that he'd have to move her somewhere safe so they could both get some sleep. It was likely that they'd move out in the morning and he'd need sleep if he didn't want to join the ranks of the walking dead.

Daryl nudged her gently. "Come on, gotta get into one of the vehicles so I can get some sleep. S'not safe to stay out here."

Carol startled awake not having realized she fell asleep on him. "Sorry." She whispered raggedly.

Daryl shook his head. "S'okay."

Carol pulled out of Daryl's arms and stood abruptly to head toward her Jeep. Before she could step away he reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Where ya goin'?" He asked, genuinely confused.

"To sleep in the car." She sighed. "You should get some sleep, too. I'm sure we'll be on the road early tomorrow." Carol tried to pull her wrist from his grip, but he wouldn't let go. The grip wasn't painfully tight like Ed's would have been. It was just enough to let her know he didn't want her to go.

"Ya shouldn't be alone. Ain't safe." He implored.

Carol almost argued that she'd be fine alone until her eyes met his. He looked pained and uncertain. There'd been more than enough pain and uncertainty tonight and she wasn't going to add to his. She nodded and followed Daryl to his truck. He didn't let go of her arm until she was safely inside.

Once settled Carol realized how chilly it was as a shiver wracked her body.

"Cold?" He asked. But before she could answer he shifted in the seat and rummaged around in the back for something. He emerged victorious with an old fleece blanket. It wouldn't do much, but it was better than nothing.

"You should keep it. I've got more layers than you do." She argued.

Daryl shook his head. "I'm fine."

She knew he was lying. She could feel the prickle of goose bumps as her hand brushed against his arm.

"We can share." Carol stated resolutely before inching closer and spreading the blanket over both of them.

She wasn't touching him, but Carol could feel the tension radiating off of him. She might have chuckled at his nervousness if not for her fear that he'd bolt if she did that. She was sort of hunched in the seat in an attempt to share the blanket with him without invading his space.

Daryl watched as she tried to settle back into sleep, but she looked uncomfortable and he knew she wouldn't be getting any sleep in that position. Putting aside his own uncertainty once more he threaded an arm between her back and the seat and pulled her into his side. He remained tightly coiled until Carol settled into him and rested her head on his shoulder. It didn't take long for her to drop off to sleep again and Daryl was, surprisingly, not far behind her.

TWD

Daryl awoke to a sharp pain in one side and a heavy feeling on the other. It was dark and it took longer than he was comfortable with to get his bearings. Finally the events of the previous night came rushing back and he realized that the weight at his side was Carol's body melted into his. The object causing him pain was the latch plate on the seatbelt. He tried to adjust, but quickly realized he wasn't going to be able to move without waking Carol.

Carol was vaguely aware of something moving beneath her, but she seemed to be stuck in that haze between sleep and wakefulness. Finally it seemed to register in her mind that nothing should be moving underneath her and she all but shoved Daryl out of the truck trying to get away. Her panic only ratcheted up several more notches when Daryl's arm tightened around her waist.

"Hey, relax!" He whispered roughly, "It's just me."

He repeated a variation of that several times before it sunk in for Carol. Finally she stilled in his arms.

"S-sorry. I thought—"

"It's okay."

She leaned back against him and his grip on her waist relaxed. Suddenly she could feel his heart hammering against her back. Carol started to pull away again, now aware that her proximity was likely the cause for his racing heart.

"Ya okay?" He asked as he again refused to release his grip on her.

"Yeah. I just… You seem—"

"I'm fine." He stopped her before she could voice his own fears.

Carol turned herself in the seat so she could see him. The sun would soon start to peak out between the trees and Carol knew her time alone with Daryl would have to end. She reached up to stroke his face and was pleased when he didn't flinch.

"Thank you."

"Didn't do nothin,'" he shrugged.

Daryl could have sworn her fingers were branding a trail down his cheek with each soft stroke. He was shocked that he found that he wanted to lean into her touch rather than run away. How could a woman who'd seen as much pain and been damaged just as much as he had still be so willing to show kindness to others, and especially to a man like himself? He pushed those thoughts aside as he leaned into her.

Neither of them initiated the kiss. Or they both initiated it. The only thing that was clear to either one of them was that neither of them ever wanted to stop doing this.

His lips brushed over hers. They were surprisingly soft given their chapped appearance. Daryl was gentle and uncertain as his lips moved over hers. He wasn't even sure he should be doing this given the events of the previous night, but she definitely wasn't pushing him away. In fact, her hands were now settled on his cheeks pulling him toward her, deepening the kiss.

All too quickly it was over. Daryl pulled away, but reached up to cup her cheek. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was pushing her away, but he didn't want to rush into anything. She needed time and she needed to know that he understood that.

"We should get moving. I'm sure Rick and the others'll wanna get movin' pretty early." He rasped.

Carol nodded against his hand. "I should check on Sophia."

Begrudgingly Carol untangled herself from Daryl and moved to open the passenger door. Before she could climb out Daryl snagged her wrist and tugged her back toward him. He kissed her once more before letting her go. A blush crept up his cheeks as he willed himself to just say what he needed to say.

"You an' Sophia should ride with me… Lori an' Carl will probably want to ride with Rick…" he trailed off. "So ya'll should ride with me…if ya want to, I mean."

Carol smiled at him and nodded. "We'll ride with you," she confirmed before shutting the door.

**Never write again? Not so great? Good? Let me know. Obviously I couldn't make them get down and dirty five seconds after Carol's husband became walker bait. I really had a hard time making them kiss. Eh… **

**Also, in case you haven't noticed, I own nothing related to AMC or TWD. If I did the fangirls would certainly be happier. Or at least I like to think they would.**


	2. Bruised Egos and Broken Hearts

**Holy…wow! You all blew up my inbox with all the favorites and follows and reviews. Makes a girl feel all warm and fuzzy. This is WAY later than I intended to post, but it's been the week from hell. My kitchen is a disaster, I don't have a stove, Lowe's sucks, etc… Better late than never, I suppose.**

**This one takes place during TS-19. If you have suggestions, ideas, requests I'm open. They don't necessarily have to be "beginnings" that's just where I intended to go with my own ideas.**

**Smut Warning!**

**Still don't own anything.**

Stumbling upon Edwin Jenner at the CDC turned out to be the miracle the group desperately needed. Dinner had been fantastic and the wine and liquor had only served to lift the groups' mood. Hot showers had been the icing on the cake.

The world didn't seem like such a bad place after a shower and some clean clothes. Carol and Lori led Sophia and Carl into the rec room to find some games and books. The kids settled in with a game of Mouse Trap while Lori and Carol chatted. It was obvious that Carl and Sophia were getting tired when they started to nit pick and argue about rules. Soon after the mini-tantrums started it was decided that it was well past time for bed.

Carol ushered Sophia into their room before stepping out to gather the laundry that needed to be done. Before she could make it to the laundry room Glenn came tearing around the corner.

"Carol! I've been looking for you." He panted.

"Is everything alright?" She asked, concerned.

"Yeah, just Shane and Daryl got into it and Rick thought you should look in on them," he explained.

Carol rolled her eyes. "Are they alright?"

"Uh, well, above Daryl's eye is cut and Shane's got a bloody nose. Like I said, Rick said I should get you to check them out. It was pretty awesome though! Daryl just lunged—"

"What?" Carol cut him off. "Why would Daryl do that?"

_Shit_. How was he supposed to explain what they were fighting about? "Uhhh…They…You better just go look at them."

Glenn started back toward the dining room with Carol hot on his heels. She grabbed his arm just before he reached the door.

"Glenn. What were they fighting about?"

"It's not important."

"Glenn."

"You. Shane was being a jerk and Daryl got pissed." Glenn said it so fast it all came out almost as one word.

Why would Daryl get pissed about something Shane said? Carol shook it off. She didn't have time to figure Daryl out right now. Before she could step into the room another round of yelling began.

"The fuck you gigglin' at?" Daryl spat.

"Your dumb ass," Shane taunted. "Awful noble of you to protect Carol's virtue, but there ain't no way a woman like that'd ever want a piece a shit redneck like you."

Before Daryl could respond Carol burst through the door.

Daryl and Shane were seated opposite each other. Rick stood next to Daryl and T-Dog next to Shane. Both men's chests were heaving. Daryl looked pissed. Shane looked pleased with himself.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Just a little disagreement." Shane at least had the good sense to look remorseful.

Carol turned her attention to Daryl whose eyes met hers for only a split second before dropping to the floor. He looked ashamed.

"Daryl?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Wasn't nothin' but a disagreement." He spat.

Carol sighed as she looked between them. It looked like Shane had seen the worst of it. He was dabbing at his nose, which was no longer bleeding. He had a small cut above his eyes and a split lip. Daryl also had a cut above his eye and his knuckles had seen better days.

"Send Shane to Dale." She glared daggers at both men. "Daryl can come with me."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Shane asked sweetly. "He's unpredictable and dangerous. You ain't safe—"

"Go," she cut him off. The group watched as T-Dog led Shane out toward the offices they'd set up in.

Finally Carol turned to look at Daryl and suddenly the iciness in her tone was gone, "come on."

When he didn't move Carol turned and headed out without him. If he wanted to come, he would. She was nearly back to her room before she heard the footsteps behind her. She turned to look, expecting to see Glenn or Rick. Instead she found Daryl. His eyes immediately dropped to the floor.

"Which room are you in?" She asked softly.

"What? Why?" He was suddenly nervous. He couldn't believe he'd jumped on Shane. He really needed to get a handle on himself.

Suddenly he realized Carol was talking. "…need the light in the bathroom. Sophia is asleep in our room so…"

"Yeah. Uh…N-next to yours." He stepped toward the door.

Once inside he dug a bottle of Southern Comfort he'd stashed in his bag and took a long drink from it. He looked up at Carol once he was done.

"You should take a shower before I clean you up." She stated softly.

Daryl frowned.

"It doesn't do me any good to fix you up if it's just going to get infected because you're afraid of a little soap and water," Carol smiled.

Daryl grunted but pushed himself up off the couch. "Ain't got nothin' clean," he mumbled.

Carol nodded. "I'll get you something from the laundry to wear for tonight. I can wash your stuff with the other laundry," she offered.

He nodded and headed into the bathroom. Shortly after he disappeared behind the door Carol heard the water turn on. She left to get him clean clothes and a first aid kit.

When she returned Daryl was still in the shower. She smiled to herself. For someone who grumbled about taking a shower, he sure was taking his time. She knocked on the door before opening it just a crack. "I'm just going to set your stuff on the counter."

Before Daryl could respond she was in and out already. He'd forgotten how good it felt to take a hot shower. He was also fairly certain he was now cleaner than he had been even before the apocalypse. He rinsed the last of the soap from his body and shut off the water. As he stepped into the cool air he realized he'd forgotten a towel. He willed his voice to stay steady as he called for her.

"Think ya could bring me a towel?" He called through the door.

Carol chuckled and grabbed a towel out of the cupboard outside the bathroom. "I'm just gonna open the door a crack," she warned.

True to her word the door opened a few inches, a towel appeared, and the door was shut again. Daryl dried himself quickly while trying to will away images of Carol helping him dry off. He dressed in the pajamas Carol had brought him and grabbed a new towel to staunch the blood on his forehead again. He chuckled to himself. It had been a long time since he'd worn anything that resembled pajamas.

Finally he emerged from the bathroom and found Carol rifling through a first aid kit. He stood there silently unsure of what he should do. Carol startled when she realized he was standing there. She took a moment to let her eyes rake over his body. The pajamas she'd found for him left little to the imagination. After a few moments she stood and directed him toward the bathroom. She took the supplies she'd need and followed after him.

"Sit," she motioned toward the toilet.

Daryl just looked at her.

"You're too tall for me to do this with you standing up," she explained.

Daryl sighed and shook his head, but sat down.

He nearly jumped out of his skin as she nudged his chin upward. He could have sworn her touch was setting his skin on fire. Carol took a bottle of saline from the things she collected.

"This is going to sting, but I need to rinse it out," Carol explained.

Daryl nodded as best he could with Carol's hand holding his chin up. She grabbed another towel to hold against his face and popped the cap on the bottle of saline. She gently squeezed the bottle and Daryl felt the cold liquid run into the cut. He tried not to wince, but it stung like a bitch. When she was done she patted his face dry and tilted his head back up. He could have sworn she was stroking his face as she inspected the cut.

"Glue or stitches?" She asked.

Daryl jumped like she'd caught him off guard, "what?"

"Glue or stitches?" She repeated, "glue burns like hell, but stitches leave a scar. Pick your poison."

"G-glue, I guess."

Carol nodded and handed him some gauze. "Hold this on it."

She stepped back into the office and grabbed the packet of skin glue. When she returned she checked the gauze and found that the wound and pretty much stopped bleeding. She opened the packet and tilted his chin up once more.

"I need you to keep your head up so I can hold the skin together," she explained quietly.

"'Kay."

She pulled the brush from the packet and pinched the edges of the wound together, "this is gonna sting, sorry."

She brushed several coats of glue over the wound and held the skin together for several minutes.

"How'd you know how to do this?" He asked.

"I, um—"

"Oh." He didn't need her to finish. He understood how she knew how to do this now. "Sorry."

"It's okay," she smiled weakly. "You didn't know."

He felt like a total ass.

After what seemed like an eternity she let go of the skin around the cut. He started to get up, but she pushed him back down. "Let me look at your hand."

Daryl shook his head and made to leave again. He'd already made an ass of himself by asking her how she knew what to do about the cut on his head. Of course she knew. Her asshole husband had been the reason she'd had to learn.

"Let me look at it." Carol's hand found his face again and turned his head to look at her.

Finally he nodded and sat back down. Carol put a towel under his hand and spread antibiotic ointment over the scrapes before wrapping his hand in gauze. Her fingers lingered on his hand longer than was necessary.

"All done," she said softly.

Before she could step away from him, Daryl's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. "Thanks."

He let her arm slide from his grasp, his fingers trailing down her arm.

Carol smiled, "I need to go put the laundry in the dryer. I'll check on you before I head to bed."

With that she was gone and Daryl was left alone with his thoughts.

TWD

Daryl heaved himself up and headed out of the bathroom. He flopped down on the couch and pulled out a half-drunk bottle of Southern Comfort. Maybe a little liquid courage would do him good. He drank from the bottle as he tried to figure out what to do with Carol.

What was to be done about her anyway? Shane was probably right. There was no way she'd ever want a man like him. He was too much like Ed, though he'd never laid on a hand on a woman. He was rough and crass and everything that was the opposite of Carol. He took another long drink from the bottle and felt his head start to swim just a little. It had only been a few weeks since the last time he'd had anything to drink, but it felt like way too damn long.

Another drink.

Maybe he could just tell Carol how he felt.

Another drink.

Nope. Dixons didn't do feelings.

Another drink.

Maybe he could show her.

Another drink. Just for good measure.

He pulled himself up from the couch and walked out to the hall. He wasn't unsteady. That was a good sign anyway. He took a left out of his room and headed toward the laundry room. He could hear the familiar clank of a dryer.

He came to a halt in front of the door and what he saw nearly made his blood boil. Shane was nearly on top of Carol. His large body pressed her into the washing machine behind her and his mouth was firmly attached to hers. What he didn't see was Carol struggle to push Shane off and then serve him a right hook to the jaw.

TWD

She could have killed Shane. What in the hell made him think he could just come in there and take what he wanted? And what made him think she'd be okay with that? Alcohol, likely. She caught a glimpse of someone tearing around the corner as she pushed Shane away. She briefly thought it might have been Daryl, but quickly pushed that thought from her mind. Daryl would have no reason to seek her out. He wasn't interested in her.

Carol didn't say a word to Shane. She let her actions do the talking and took off down the hall. Just as she rounded the corner she saw Daryl slip back into his room, door slamming behind him. Interesting. It had been Daryl.

She knocked softly on the door, but got no response. She opened the door just a crack.

"Daryl?" She asked, tentatively?

"What?" He spat.

"I just came to check on you before I went to bed."

"Don't need ya checkin' up on me." He tried not to let emotion work its way into his voice. He was crushed and he didn't even know why. It's wasn't like he had any claim on her. She could kiss whomever the hell she wanted to.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, concern obvious in her voice.

"Fine." He winced when his voice cracked.

"Daryl." She said softly stepping into the room fully.

"Just leave me the fuck alone. Christ, woman." He nearly yelled. He couldn't stand to hear the pity in her voice.

"Fine, just let me look at your eye and I'll get out of your way." Her voice was hard now.

She stepped toward him, not at all fazed by the fact that he was glaring daggers at her. She brazenly stepped between his legs and tilted his head up. Daryl had all he could do to keep from leaning into her touch. He closed his eyes as Carol ran a fingertip over the laceration to ensure that it was closed.

As soon as it began it was over. Carol stepped away and headed toward the door. "If you decide you want to talk about it, you know where to find me."

Daryl was in panic mode. He was certain she didn't want him, but he was certain he didn't want her to leave. His body started to move off of the couch even though his mind was trying desperately to will him to be still. His body won and he was off the couch and at the door just as Carol turned the knob. He pushed the door closed and crowded her body against it.

Carol should have been terrified. Every time Ed had ever done this it hadn't ended well. In fact it had usually ended in a trip to the Emergency Room. But for some reason she just couldn't be afraid. This was Daryl. She didn't know him that well, but somehow she seemed to know he wouldn't hurt her. Couldn't hurt her.

She turned to face him. His chest was heaving, not from exertion, but from fear. He couldn't believe he'd done this. He thought she must be terrified, but when he looked into her eyes he saw anything but terror.

Carol reached a hand up to stroke his face.

"Don't," he growled.

Carol's brows knitted in confusion.

"Don't act like you care. I saw you two," he breathed. "I knew Shane was right. It's why I got so pissed. I never shoulda… It don't matter now."

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"Don't act like you don't know. I know you heard what he said. You were standin' right outside the door. Ain't ever gonna be a woman like you wants a man like me. Not even in the end of the fuckin' world."

He sounded sad, but that did little to quell the anger welling up inside her. They were so sure they knew. Both of them. Shane was the worst of the two. He actually thought he knew. Daryl probably only thought what he did because he believed Shane.

"Well I'm sure glad you two know me so well." There was venom in her tone, "tell me Daryl, what kind of man does a woman like me want?"

He looked dumbstruck.

"Come on, now." She urged, "you were so sure a minute ago. Isn't a woman like me who would ever want a man like you, right? Maybe I should just go find Shane since the two of you are convinced that he's the man I want."

"No!" Daryl roared. His hands flew up to hit the door behind her head.

Carol knew she really should have been terrified. Daryl had already proven that he had a propensity toward violence. When he hit the door behind her she knew she should have pushed him, hit him, kicked him, anything to get him out of the way so she could bail. Instead, the only thing she could think about was what would happen if one of them moved forward just a couple of inches.

She could feel his breath on her face. She could feel his chest heaving. She could feel the raw emotion radiating off of him. Before she could wonder what would happen if he kissed her he was doing it. His lips were pressed against hers in a none too gentle fashion.

He couldn't believe he was doing this. She was pissed at him and he was kissing her if only because she'd all but told him that she didn't want Shane. It had been in a roundabout fashion but he'd take what he could get.

His tongue licked gently at her lower lip seeking entrance. When she let him in she realized, much to her dismay, that he was likely drunk. She could taste the liquor on his breath. How had she not smelled that on him? No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't let him do something he would regret.

She pushed gently at his chest and immediately understood that she never should have lumped Daryl and Shane into the same category. With just a hint of a push Daryl was backing away from her. When his eyes met hers she saw nothing but sadness.

"S-sorry." He mumbled and backed away.

"Don't. It's okay." She tried to reassure. "I just…you." It was then than she noticed the now mostly-drunk bottle of Southern Comfort. She groaned inwardly.

"I don't want you to do anything you're going to regret." Carol motioned toward the bottle on the floor.

Daryl could have killed himself. She was going to slip away because of a bottle of liquor.

"No…I…It was only half-full when I found it." He sounded defeated. "I wouldn't regret it," he whispered.

Carol stepped toward him and reached up to stroke his face. Daryl took that as his cue to continue and wasted no time. He backed her up toward the door and continued where he left off.

He was everywhere all at once. His lips were on hers and then on her face and neck and shoulder. His work-hardened body was pressing against her. Once the fog cleared Carol was able to respond. Her hands cupped his cheeks and held his face to hers so she could kiss him properly. Again his tongue snaked out and she granted him entrance immediately. He didn't battle her for dominance like she imagined he might. Instead his tongue moved gently, almost lazily, against hers.

Eventually hands began to wander. Carol's hands moved from his face to his chest, memorizing every line. Daryl's calloused fingertips teased the soft skin at her waist as he tentatively moved his hands up her shirt. She began to lift his shirt, but his hands stilled her own. He didn't have to say a word.

"It's okay," she whispered. "I have them too."

Finally Daryl nodded and allowed her to pull his shirt over his head. Her lips were instantly on his chest kissing, licking, and mapping his skin. He struggled to stifle a groan. Her tank top came off next, falling on the floor next to his. He could have died a happy man, then and there. He silently gave thanks for those little shirts with the bras inside. He latched onto one breast nipping and then kissing the reddened skin.

Carol had never really understood the big deal about sex. Ed was the only man she'd ever been with and that had been awful. It had always been quick, and for that she was thankful. He was forceful and had constantly complained about how bad she was at it. All of those thoughts flew out the window as soon as Daryl's mouth was on her.

She reached down to pull the drawstring on his pants. She definitely hadn't had this in mind when she grabbed the pants, but she was thankful for them now. She stroked him through the cotton and immediately realized he wasn't wearing underwear. That knowledge sent a bolt of heat straight to her core. Daryl bucked into her hand as she continued to run her hand over his rather impressive length.

Daryl was nearly certain he was going to pass out if she didn't stop touching him like that. He was finally able to clear his head enough to realize that he shouldn't be doing this up against the door. Carol was anything but a quick fuck and she definitely didn't deserve to be taken against a door. He pulled away with a groan.

Carol looked broken. She couldn't say she was surprised that he was putting a stop to it, but she was a little hurt that he'd let it go that far. He had to know she wanted this. And he'd just led her on. Daryl, despite his apparent inability to read her, realized immediately what he'd done wrong and reached out to grab her hand before she could jerk it away. He pulled her into his body and walked her backward to the couch.

Once they made it to the couch it was a flurry of activity. Clothing was shed as Daryl licked kissed, exploring her body. Finally he pushed her pants off of her hips and she lifted up to help him slide them off of her. He was hovering over top of her now, breathing heavily. He wanted nothing more than to lose himself in her.

"Ya sure?" He rasped.

Carol couldn't speak. Instead she reached up and pulled his face down to hers. This kiss wasn't urgent like the others. It was slow, but insistent as she let her hands slide down his body guiding his hips toward her.

Daryl slid in slowly, his body shaking from the intense effort to keep from pounding into her. Carol leaned up a little to kiss him, urging him to relax and let go. Once he was fully seated in her he lay still for a moment, giving her time to adjust. She was quickly becoming impatient though. Now that she understood all the fuss about sex she wasn't in any mood to wait for it. She bucked up into him.

Daryl nearly came undone at the unexpected motion, but he followed her lead and set a pace. He couldn't believe the pressure she was exerting on him. The other women he'd been with…well, Carol had no competition in that arena. She moved under him matching his pace. She could tell he was close. His movements were jerky and uncoordinated as he came. Carol hadn't even realized she was close until she felt a wave of pleasure crash over her. Daryl continued to move inside her for a few moments only serving to prolong and intensify her orgasm.

Carol struggled to regulate her breathing as Daryl collapsed on top of her. He buried his face in her shoulder dropping kisses along her collarbone and neck. She was surprised at how affectionate he could be. Most of the time he nearly rocketed through the roof if someone accidently brushed against him.

Suddenly his body stiffened and she could feel the tension in him again. "Shit!" He swore. "We didn't…I didn't…I'm such a fucking—"

Suddenly it dawned on her why he was so upset. "It's okay. I can't… After Sophia I—"

He cut her off with a kiss. He didn't want to hear that her asshole husband had made her…do that. Kissing had never really been something he was interested in. Usually it was just a means to an end, but kissing Carol was different. He kissed her slowly, his tongue sliding leisurely against hers. The feel of her against his was definitely something he could get used to.

After awhile Daryl moved to the side and pulled Carol into him. She let her head rest on his chest. The sound of his heartbeat was enough to lull her into sleep, but she clawed her way back from the brink. She had to go back to her room.

"I have to go," she whispered.

She couldn't really read him, but Daryl certainly didn't look happy.

"Sophia will be afraid if she wakes up and I'm not there."

Realization dawned on him then. She wasn't leaving him, but she had her daughter to worry about.

"I'll come with. Don't want ya runnin' around alone with Shane thinkin' he can do whatever the hell he wants." Daryl said quietly. She could hear the anger in his voice.

"And how am I gonna explain that to her?" Carol chuckled.

Daryl's face flushed. He hadn't thought about that.

"Ain't like we gotta share a bed. I'll sleep on the floor. Just don't want ya alone."

Carol nodded. "Okay. But you don't have to sleep on the floor. There are two couches and they both convert to beds. I'll sleep with Sophia."

Daryl kissed her again, but didn't linger. He maneuvered himself over her and collected clothing. He dressed and handed Carol's things to her before taking her hand and following her back to her room. Their room.


	3. Feel Something

**A post before work! And a little whining. I don't wanna be a grown up anymore! Now that we've got that out of the way, here's some more Caryl! **

**Smut warning, questionable language, etc… **

**A couple of you have expressed interest in Sophia being found alive. I'm trying! Really, really hard. I'm having a really hard time with it because the show didn't give us much Sophia to work with. So she's a blank slate. Should be easy, right? Wrong! I dunno. I'm doing it. It will happen. Just remember these are one-shots and take place at different points in the story (though I've mostly gone in order so far), so Sophia may or may not be alive as we progress. These are also mostly about Caryl, but you people have spoken and you want living Sophia. So I'll try. **

**Anyway, onward to the festivities. I felt this one a tad unrealistic, but I'm okay with it.**

Daryl couldn't take it anymore. Between Carol's sobbing and the constant clicking of metal against metal as Andrea fidgeted with her gun he was just about ready to snap. What he wouldn't have given to find that little girl today. To see the look on Carol's face as he came back a hero would've meant everything to him. But that didn't seem to be in the cards for him tonight. Instead Daryl laid on the floor of the RV willing himself to sleep and failing miserably.

He'd laid down on the floor next to the bed Carol was curled up in so that he could keep an eye on her. He wanted to make sure she didn't do something stupid like run out into the woods to look for Sophia herself. There was no way he'd ever be able to live with himself if something happened to her. Now, it seemed, lying there in the dark was only going to serve to make him insane. Finally he pulled himself up and mumbled something about going out to look for the girl.

"Where are you going?" Dale questioned.

"To look for Sophia. Just gonna walk the road a bit, give her somethin' to look at if she's out there." Daryl replied.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Dale asked worriedly.

Daryl didn't even dignify that with a response as he walked away from the RV. He walked the road for the better part of an hour. When he returned to the RV his disappointment must have been evident, because Dale didn't even bother to ask how it had gone.

He went around front of the RV and found Carol sitting on the steps to the "living area" of the vehicle.

"You should be inside sleepin' or ya ain't gonna be any good to that little girl tomorrow." He said softly.

"Can't sleep," she sniffed. "All the clicking and fidgeting with that damn gun…"

Daryl chuckled a little, "I hear ya. That shit damn near drove me crazy. But ya should really get some sleep."

Carol nodded, but didn't move to get up. He knew she didn't want to go back into that RV. She didn't want to listen to Andrea take apart and put together that gun repeatedly. Daryl sure as hell didn't want to listen to it either.

He reached a hesitant hand out to her, "come on."

Carol's brows knitted together in confusion as she watched the proffered hand, but didn't take it. Daryl dropped his hand and sighed.

"I ain't no good at this kinda thing, so if ya could just…"

Carol was still confused, but she stood. She found herself attracted to Daryl, but she couldn't work out why. He had a propensity toward violence, much like Ed, but she somehow knew Daryl wouldn't hurt her. She followed him as he led her away from the RV back to his truck, which was parked a ways away. He heard Dale whisper-yelling at them to find out where they were going, but he stopped when he saw Daryl help her into his truck. Daryl waved the older man off and Dale seemed to understand what was going on.

Daryl pulled a pillow and sleeping bag out of the backseat of the truck. It was chilly. He knew because Carol was shivering slightly. It didn't even faze him. He'd spent many nights shivering himself into exhaustion when his parents couldn't afford the utilities and the gas was shut off in early spring.

He handed Carol the bedding and watched as she got settled. He double-checked the doors and windows to make sure everything was closed tight and locked up. Finally he leaned against his own door and made himself comfortable. He expected to hear Carol's breathing even out and indicate sleep, but that change never came. She fidgeted every few minutes and he could hear her trying to quell the sobs that were threatening to spill out.

"Carol? Ya still awake?" He knew she was awake, why the hell was he asking her that?

"Can't sleep," she repeated her earlier words.

"Still cold?" He asked.

"No."

He let the silence hang there for a moment before taking a steadying breath.

"Come 'ere." He commanded softly before he lost his nerve.

"What?" The disbelief was evident in her voice.

Daryl sighed, "I said come here. Slide over here."

"Why?"

"Would ya just do it, please?" His voice was shaking with nerves.

"Daryl…you don't have to—"

"I'm not. Just come 'ere."

She hesitated. She didn't want pity. But Daryl certainly didn't seem like the type to pity another person. She could usually read Daryl fairly well. Though he wasn't one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, Carol had learned to read subtle cues. She'd heard the slight shake in his voice, but she couldn't see his face to make out what was bothering him. The man had no poker face to speak of and Carol wished she could see more than his silhouette.

Finally she pushed herself up and over in the seat. She stopped when she reached the middle. She heard Daryl sigh and then felt his hands around her waist as he pulled her to him.

"Sleep," he whispered. "I'll go out at first light and find her."

He felt Carol nod against his shoulder. It took only a few minutes for Carol to succumb to the pull of sleep and Daryl wasn't far behind her.

TWD

True to his word Daryl was up at first light. He briefly considered sliding out silently and letting Carol sleep, but he didn't want to leave her unguarded. There was no way Dale could keep an eye on her this far from the RV. He shook her gently to wake her up.

"Gotta get up an' get moving. Don't wanna waste any light," Daryl rasped, his voice still gravelly from sleep.

Carol yawned and followed him out of the truck. He left her with Dale, explaining that he could track better alone, and set out to look for Sophia.

It had been decided that last night would be their last night on the road before moving on to the farm. Carol spent the day assembling supplies and leaving a sign for Sophia in case the girl made it to the road again. The sun was nearly set when Daryl returned dirtier and a little worse for wear. He looked exhausted.

When he returned alone Carol had all she could do to keep herself together. She knew that none of this was Daryl's fault and he was certainly trying his best to find her, but her heart was broken for her little girl. She was out there alone and terrified and probably hungry and tired. Carol stifled a sob as Daryl stalked past her to his truck.

The crunch of glass and metal could be heard as Daryl made his way to the truck. He'd knocked the mirror off of a long-abandoned car and kicked the thing into submission. He repeated the action on another car before reaching his truck and climbing inside.

He'd failed her. He'd told her he'd bring her little girl back to her and it had been nothing but a lie. He was used to being a disappointment. His old man had made sure that Daryl understood that he was worthless and he'd never be anything but a failure in his eyes. It had never bothered him. Not once, until today. The look of utter disappointment on Carol's face had done him in.

Daryl was so lost in his thoughts he didn't hear a soft tap on the glass. When he finally looked up he saw Carol standing at the door. Her eyes were watery, but to her credit she didn't let the tears fall. He wished she'd just go away. He'd done enough disappointing for one day.

If she was being honest, Carol was nearly destroyed when Daryl came back alone. She might have been disappointed if not for the look she saw on Daryl's face as his passed the small group on his way back to his truck. He looked…distraught. The only other time she'd seen this look was when Rick and Shane had told him that Merle had been left in Atlanta. She could feel that he was disappointed in himself and couldn't find it in herself to add to that.

She tapped gently on the window hoping to get his attention without startling him. When he finally looked up at her she was no longer surprised to see her pain and grief reflected in his eyes. She flattened her palm against the window and waited until Daryl finally opened the truck door.

"Sorry," his voice was raspy.

Carol shook her head; afraid that if she tried to speak her voice would betray her. She lifted a hand to cup his cheek and he flinched, his whole body jerking away from her touch. He knew he deserved whatever she was going to dish out. He'd lied about bringing her little girl back and he couldn't even take it like a man when she came to confront him about it.

She reached out again, this time grabbing his wrist with one hand before reaching up for his face with the other. She stroked his cheek gently and watched as his eyelids fluttered closed as he tried not to flinch. "We should get going. Dale wants to get on the road before it's totally dark," she half-whispered.

Daryl's head shot up and his eyes met hers, "what about you? What do you wanna do?"

"Stay," her voice cracked. "At least one more night."

"Then we stay," he stated resolutely.

"But we told the others we'd meet up back at the farm and Dale—"

"Fuck Dale," he interrupted. "You wanna stay, we stay. We can sleep in the truck again tonight. Come on."

He slid out of the truck and led her back to the RV where Dale was pacing impatiently.

"We really should get going. We told the others—"

Daryl didn't let Dale finish, "we're staying. Me an' Carol. We'll sleep in the truck and catch up with ya'll in the morning."

"You can't do that!" Dale wailed, "it's far too dangerous and besides we're better off in a group."

"If Carol wants to stay for her daughter then let them stay," Andrea barked. "Haven't you made enough decisions for people in the last few days, Dale? What if Sophia comes back and no one's here? Carol and Daryl are adults and capable of making their own decisions." Her tone venomous with her ever-increasing anger at Dale for thinking he could make decisions for others.

Dale bowed his head in deference. "Fine. But be safe and for god's sake if another herd comes through you better hightail it to that farm," he warned.

Daryl mumbled a "thanks" to Andrea as she handed him a bag of supplies and glared at Dale before retreating back to Carol's side. They walked slowly back to his truck as the RV maneuvered through the antiquated traffic jam.

Carol set the bag of supplies down on the truck's tailgate. Andrea had given them enough food to make it through lunch tomorrow. She smiled a little at the thought. She sat down on the tailgate and Daryl joined her shortly after. Once it was dark enough to see the stars Carol laid back in the truck bed.

"What're ya lookin' at?" Daryl asked.

"Stars. Used to love watching them as a kid. My daddy taught me the constellations, but that knowledge is long gone, I suspect." She smiled at the memory.

"Me too," Daryl said quietly. "Watchin' the stars, I mean. My daddy was dumb as a post though, never taught me constellations. Only thing he ever taught me was huntin' and trackin.'"

"That's not nothing, Daryl. Especially not if it helps…" Carol sighed.

"We best be getting in the truck for the night. Don't want any walkers sneakin' up on us." Daryl said softly.

Daryl grabbed the bag of supplies and helped Carol into the truck. He didn't bother harassing her about eating something for dinner. He wasn't hungry and he couldn't imagine she was either. Instead he grabbed a bottle of water and took a long drink before offering it to her. Carol took a drink before recapping the bottle and handing it back to him. She was probably imagining it, but she thought she could still taste him on that bottle. She shook the thought from her head as she settled in for the night.

"We gonna do this again?" He asked.

"What? Oh." She realized suddenly what he meant and scooted over in the seat for a repeat performance of the previous night.

Daryl was exhausted, but he wasn't anywhere near being able to fall asleep. It seemed Carol was having the same problem. She shifted every few minutes, though not from discomfort, but from boredom.

"Tell me more 'bout 'er…Sophia. She like lookin' at the stars too?"

She was surprised Daryl was initiating conversation, but she'd take what she could get. His question earned him a chuckle out of Carol.

"She hated looking at the stars. Used to say she didn't understand why I was always looking at them. Said it was just a bunch of dots. She couldn't see the pictures. There was a little uncovered porch off her room. Most nights, after Sophia was in bed and Ed was passed out, I would lie out on the porch and watch the stars. We lived in a little town so we didn't have the light pollution to hide the stars from us. One of my favorite memories is lying out on the little porch with her next to me giggling and arguing quietly about whether or not those dots made pictures." She was rambling, but Daryl was listening intently as she spoke.

"That girl is lucky to have such a good mama," he whispered against her skin.

Oh. When had he gotten so close? She could feel the goosebumps forming on her neck.

"Ain't always so lucky."

Carol could hear the sadness in his voice. She'd assumed that he and Merle had not had a pleasant childhood, but he'd never spoken up about it until now. She turned in the seat to face him. She once again lifted her hand to stroke his face. This time he didn't flinch.

"You're a good man, Daryl. No matter what you came from, you're a good man," she whispered.

"Ain't a good man that lies to ya 'bout bringin' your little girl back," he shifted and tried to pull away, but he had nowhere to go.

Carol held him in place. "You didn't lie. You did your best."

"Yeah, and my best ain't good enough," he spat.

"Stop," she put her hand to his mouth. "You've done more for my little girl today than her daddy ever did her whole life," she stifled a sob.

Daryl grabbed the hand at his mouth and held it there. Carol watched with fascination. Up until the night before she'd never known him to initiate any physical contact unless it was to pummel someone else. He pulled her hand away and studied it for a moment before bringing it back to his lips and kissing her palm softly.

"We should get some sleep," Daryl mumbled.

Carol's hand went back to his cheek, stroking the soft fuzz there gently. "Don't shut me out," she whispered.

Before his mind could catch up with his heart and tell him to stop he pulled Carol into a searing kiss. His body was desperately seeking to show his mind that touching another could bring pleasure rather than pain. It didn't even occur to him that Carol didn't want to kiss him. Just as Daryl began to pull away she yanked him closer. Her hands fisted in his shirt as she pulled him close.

Finally they had to come up for air. They sat panting, each searching the other's face for any sign of rejection. Once the lightheaded feeling subsided Carol leaned into him again. Unfortunately Daryl's brain had had time to process everything. "We shouldn't…"

Carol didn't let him finish. She wasn't going to let him ruin this for them by thinking about it. "Just once I want to feel something other than pain," she panted in his ear, "and I think you do too. Just let go."

To Carol's surprise, that was all it took. Daryl was back in the game. His lips were on hers and his hands were everywhere else. Finally he shifted them so Carol was lying stretched along the bench seat and Daryl was positioned over top of her.

He wanted this. God, did he want this. But Carol wasn't just a quick fuck in his truck and he just couldn't push that out of his head. "We ain't gotta do it like this," he panted in her ear as he kissed along her neck. His mouth was saying one thing, but his rather insistent erection and rhythmic rolling of his hips said something completely different.

"Stop. Thinking. Just. Feel." Carol commanded haltingly as she reached between them to flick open the button on his jeans.

Daryl bucked into her hand as she slid it into his jeans and cupped him through his boxers. He kissed her again in an attempt to stifle his own moan. He forced his own hand between them and yanked hers out of his pants. If she continued her assault on him this would be over before it started. He pinned the offending hand and its partner in crime above Carol's head before unfastening the button on her jeans and pulling them down. Carol lifted up to help him get the jeans off, but that meant she bucked up into him sending all kinds of new sensations coursing through his body.

He was just about to kiss her again when a thunk and a moan interrupted them. Daryl put one finger to Carol's lips and shifted to look out the window. He kept his head low so he wouldn't be seen. Suddenly the truck started to rattle. Carol's breathing sped up.

"Shhh." Daryl soothed.

He could see another herd approaching and it was all he could do to keep himself in check so he didn't scare Carol.

"It's a herd," he whispered calmly. "If we just stay still and quiet they'll keep moving."

He felt Carol nod against him, but her breathing was still ragged. He released her hands and moved his own up to stroke her face. "It'll be okay. Won't let nothin' happen to ya."

He kissed her softly while he traced mindless patterns into the palm of her hand. He kept kissing her and as the danger moved on he began to move his body against hers once more. That hand that was stroking hers now slid down the side of her body to rest at her hip. He'd forgotten that he'd pushed her jeans off her hips and got a nice surprise when his hand met bare flesh. Carol shivered against him as his cold fingers ghosted over her warm flesh.

Daryl pushed up and checked the window before grabbing the sleeping bag out of the back. He pulled it over them, heads and all, just before another wave was about to pass through.

"Where are they coming from?" Carol whispered.

"Dunno. Cities are fresh outta food, I guess."

He wasn't real interested in speculating on walker movement patterns anymore so he leaned back down into her. It was clear that Carol also wasn't interested because she responded immediately. Her hands slid down his sides to his pants. She was going to push them down, but thought better of it in case they had to make a run for it. Instead she gently slid her hand under his boxers and pulled him out.

Daryl sucked in a breath at her touch and moved to kiss her neck and shoulder and shoulder instead. She moved her legs a little to give him better access. When he didn't move she moved her hands back to his ass and pressed gently.

"Y-ya sure?" He asked hesitantly, "ya don't—"

Instead of answering she leaned up to kiss him, pulling him back down with her. She couldn't see his face, but his breath was ragged and his muscles were shaking with exertion from holding himself over her. Carol willed him to let go and after what seemed like an eternity he finally did; though from failure of muscles or willpower she didn't know.

Daryl's breath came in ragged gasps as he slid into her slowly. Once he was fully seated Carol let out a shaky breath. He was stretching her, but it wasn't anywhere near unpleasant as it had been with Ed. He stayed still until he couldn't do it anymore and then he moved slowly, haltingly. It took awhile to establish a rhythm in the cramped space without creating noise and movement that would draw walkers' attention.

Carol knew he wasn't going to last long, but it didn't matter because she was nearly there herself. She could feel the tension rolling off of him in waves. "Let go," she whispered.

Surprisingly, that was all it took. His kisses became more insistent, but his body relaxed as he moved inside her. One hand stroked her face while the other held firmly onto her hip. He didn't falter, but she felt him tense again before he collapsed on top of her. She could feel his warmth spreading inside her and that triggered her own orgasm. She hadn't been expecting it and the force of it caused her to bite down on Daryl's lip, nearly drawing blood.

When Carol finally released him, Daryl buried his face in the crook of her neck. He nipped and kissed at the skin he found there while willing himself to breathe normally. He could still hear the occasional moan outside the door, but it seemed they hadn't drawn any attention.

Suddenly Daryl chuckled quietly.

"What's so funny?" Carol whispered against his skin.

"Prolly the last thing we shoulda been doin' with all them walkers outside."

Carol chuckled now too. It was nice to hear her laugh a little. "Not like there was much else we could have done," she said as she kissed the spot behind his ear.

"Guess not," he groaned quietly as she continued her assault on his skin.

Carol sighed as she pulled away a little, "We should probably get some sleep."

"Mmhmm," Daryl rumbled, already half asleep.

Carol chuckled quietly and readjusted so he could lie next to her rather than on top of her. Daryl groaned a little at the adjustment, but his breathing quickly evened out again and rhythmic sound lulled Carol to sleep as well.

TWD

When Daryl woke again it was still dark. And hot. Way too fuckin' hot. And then he realized there was someone next to him and he nearly panicked. Finally a loud banging noise forced him to emerge from the fog of sleep.

The person next to him was Carol and the reason he was so fucking hot was because they were under a sleeping bag. He poked his head out just in time to see another rotting body aimlessly stumbling into the truck. Once the walker passed Daryl dared to poke his head out a little further. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when he saw that the coast was clear. That last walker had just been a straggler.

Carol began to stir beneath him.

"Sorry," he whispered.

"For what?" She yawned.

"Wakin' ya up."

"I've been awake for hours." Carol admitted.

"Why the hell didn't ya wake me then?" Daryl grouched.

"No need for both of us to be tired this morning," she shrugged as best she could from her position beneath him.

Daryl pulled a hand from under the sleeping bag and gently stroked her face, "ain't nothin' I wouldn't do for ya, tired or not. Next time wake me up."

He kissed her then. A gentle, sweet kiss, it was nothing like the need he'd exhibited hours earlier. He kissed her for awhile before pulling away.

The pair sat up and Carol fished around in the bag Andrea left to find breakfast and water. She handed Daryl a granola bar and a bottle of water.

"We should head out. If we take the bike we'll get there faster and we can get an actual search organized," Daryl mumbled through bites of granola bar.

"What about your camping gear?" She asked.

"Got straps to hook it to the bike. Should be able to fit just about everything in here on the bike," he explained.

Carol nodded in understanding as she finished her breakfast and let her mind wander to what the day might hold.


	4. Makin' A Scene

**Not sure how I feel about this one. Eh. Review…let me know what you think. **

**Still don't own anything.**

"Hey!" Daryl yelled, "Where the hell you think you're taking off to now? Ain't that what got ya stuck out here in the first place?"

"You should really watch your language. My mama would wash my mouth out with soap if she ever heard me talk that way."

"Well you're going the wrong direction an' the way I see it, all this wanderin' off is what got ya lost to begin with," he repeated his earlier sentiment.

"We gotta go back to the road. That's what Carl's dad said. Follow the stream and back to the road."

"Ain't on the road no more, kid." Daryl grimaced as he stumbled over a large tree root.

Sophia stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him, tears welling up now. "You mean they left us?"

"Whoa. Calm down. Don't need anymore cryin' outta you women. What is it with ya'll anyway? Always cryin' and wailin' and makin' a scene about something." Daryl grumbled as he stopped next to the girl.

"But if they're not on the road, then where did they go?" Sophia asked, ignoring Daryl's accusation.

"Holed up at a farm house a couple of miles from where we got stuck on the highway. In the other direction," he ground out.

His side was killing him. He knew he needed to get back to that farmhouse sooner rather than later if he wanted to prevent an infection in the wounds from his arrow. "Come on."

Daryl was surprised when Sophia took his hand as he led her back to camp. He was sure the little girl was terrified of him, but here she was holding onto him for dear life. He picked up the pace a little, dragging her behind.

TWD

Sophia and Daryl walked for the better part of an hour before they emerged from the trees.

"How much further?" She asked breathlessly.

"Not much. See that white farmhouse? That's what we're headed for," Daryl pointed the house out.

Before he could tighten his grip on her hand, Sophia slipped out of his grasp and broke out into a run toward the farmhouse.

"Hey!" Daryl yelled as he limped after her, "what'd I say about runnin' off?"

TWD

Andrea had been lost in thought. She was beyond pissed at Dale and she had no idea how to get him off her back. As if his actions at the CDC weren't enough, now he was on her back about Shane. Suddenly she noticed a small person dart out of the woods as a larger one shambled behind her.

"Walker!" she yelled, "Walker!"

She took aim just as Rick warned her off, "Hershel wants to deal with walkers on his land."

Rick took off with Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog in tow. Sophia intercepted the group of men, "You have to help him!"

"Help who?" Rick asked.

"Daryl! He's hurt. You have to help him!" The little girl yelled.

Finally Glenn and T-Dog took off toward the "walker" as Rick and Shane escorted Sophia back to the farm.

Dale was momentarily distracted by Sophia's return and didn't notice Andrea take aim again until it was too late.

"Andrea, no!" Rick yelled.

It was too late. She'd pulled the trigger and it appeared she'd hit her mark as the three men and Sophia watched in horror as Daryl crumpled to the ground.

"NO!" Sophia yelled.

"What?" Andrea looked confused.

"You shot Daryl!" The little girl wailed.

Andrea scrambled down the ladder. "Oh my god," she repeated over and over.

Sophia ran at Andrea, rage evident on her face, but Rick scooped her up and held the enraged young girl to him as she kicked and hit him trying to escape.

"You killed him! You killed Daryl!" She screamed at Andrea.

Just then Lori and Carol dashed out of the house and over to the group.

"Sophia!" Carol cried with relief. "You're okay. Everything is fine," she tried to soothe her screaming daughter as Rick passed her off.

"I'm not fine," Sophia sobbed. "He saved me. Daryl saved me and she killed him!"

Carol looked up at Andrea.

"I thought he was a walker. I thought he was after her. I didn't know…" Andrea tried to explain.

"It's okay. It'll be okay." Carol hugged her daughter close while she tried to hide her own devastation at Andrea's misstep.

She'd slowly grown closer to Daryl after Ed died and Merle got left in Atlanta. That bond had strengthened after he'd gone looking for her daughter. He'd found her. Brought her back. And now she'd never be able to thank him because once again Andrea had taken matters into her own hands.

Carol sat on the ground, Sophia safely in her lap, and sobbed with her little girl.

TWD

Daryl was slumped over Glenn's and T-Dog's shoulders as they half-dragged, half-carried him back to the farm.

"What happened out there, man?" T-Dog asked, "You look like hell."

"Ain't exactly winnin' any beauty contests yourself," Daryl slurred in response before passing out again.

TWD

"Oh god." Andrea sobbed as Glenn and T-Dog arrived with Daryl in tow.

"He'll be okay. Annie Oakley here just grazed him." Glenn spoke up.

"Go get Hershel!" Rick growled at Andrea.

A few moments later the older man emerged from the house, black bag in tow. The concern clearly evident on his face quickly morphed into surprise at Sophia's sudden appearance and then to irritation with Daryl's condition.

"I don't know how you people survived for so long," he muttered as he checked Daryl's pulse and staunched the flow of blood from the wound on his head. "Help me get him into the house," he directed Rick and Shane to haul Daryl up off the ground and into the house.

TWD

After attending to Daryl, Hershel stopped to check on Sophia. "Glad to hear your little girl's been found safe. Anything that needs looking at?"

"I don't think so," Carol sighed. "A few cuts and scrapes, but no bites or scratches. She seems in good spirits now that Daryl will be okay."

"Good to hear," the older man said thoughtfully. "Make sure she eats and drinks plenty of fluids. You're welcome to run her a bath and get her cleaned up."

"Thank you," Carol smiled at him, "for everything."

TWD

After getting Sophia cleaned up, Carol made sure she ate and drank plenty. Unsurprisingly the little girl fell asleep promptly after finishing dinner. She'd insisted on going up to check on Daryl, but Carol had advised that she wait until the morning when everyone had had some rest.

Hershel had insisted that Carol and Sophia stay in the other unoccupied guest bedroom in case they needed anything in the night. Rick had helped Carol carry Sophia upstairs and get her settled in. She stayed at her daughter's side, watching her sleep peacefully. Thankfully she didn't seem to be any worse for wear after her little adventure in the woods.

She'd just started to doze off herself when a knock at the door brought her back to consciousness. Lori stood at the door with a plate of food.

"Do you, uh, think you could take this in to Daryl. He won't let anyone except Hershel in, but he's busy with something. We thought maybe he'd let you…"

Carol smiled warmly, "I'll take it to him."

"Do you want me to stay here? Keep an eye on Sophia?" Lori offered.

"I think she'll be fine. Doesn't seem to be any lasting damage. I'll just be next door; she'll be okay."

Lori handed Carol the plate and left her to negotiate with Daryl.

TWD

Carol knocked softly at the door, but didn't get a response. She opened the door a crack and spotted Daryl curled up on the bed with his back to the door. She fought to control a gasp as she caught sight of the scars that marred his back.

"What do you want now?" He grumbled as he moved to pull the sheet up to cover his back.

"It's me, Carol." She said quietly.

"Oh."

"Thought you might like some dinner."

"A'ready told Lori I wasn't hungry." He mumbled.

"You should eat. Get your strength back."

Daryl let out a sigh as he moved to sit up in bed. He tried to hide the grimace as a sharp pain shot through his torso causing his head to swim a little. He'd resisted the painkillers Hershel had tried to give him. He didn't want anything to dull his senses.

Carol set the plate on the bedside table and sat down on the chair next to the bed. "Thank you," she said in an almost-whisper.

"For what?" His voice was gravelly with exhaustion.

"For finding her." Carol was finding it difficult to control her emotions, but she knew the last thing Daryl needed was her in there crying at him.

Daryl shrugged and then immediately regretted the action. "Ain't done nothin' Rick or Shane wouldn't have done."

"You're every bit as good as them, you know." Carol sniffed.

Daryl made a non-committal noise and made to grab his plate off the table. He made it about halfway there before the searing pain in his ribs prevented him from succeeding. Carol watched as a grimace marred his features and grabbed the plate to hand it to him. His hand grazed hers as he took the plate and it felt like an electric shock passed through her arm.

Daryl's fingers were tingling where he'd grazed her skin. He decided that Hershel must have slipped him something when he wasn't looking, because there was no way touching her could set him on fire like this. It felt…good.

She watched for a few moments as he ate in silence. When she decided he wasn't going to say anything more she moved to get up. "You're a good man, Daryl." Carol kissed the side of his head and turned to leave.

"Careful, I got stitches." He grumbled.

Daryl watched as she walked toward the door. Suddenly he had an overwhelming need to have her near again. To feel the reassurance that her presence would undoubtedly bring him. To lose himself in the clear calm of her gaze. To feel his body burn under her touch. Suddenly he realized that his need was not sudden at all, but had been slowly building since he'd met her at the quarry.

"Stay," he choked out just as her hand closed around the doorknob.

Carol turned to look at him. She wanted to stay—needed to, but Sophia needed her. "I…"

"S'okay. Ya don't have to." He adjusted to sit straighter in bed as though her hesitation didn't bother him in the least, but the sadness in his voice betrayed him.

"Sophia. I can't leave her alone."

"Bring 'er in here." He spoke without thinking, "she can sleep on the couch. She's small enough."

"And where am I gonna sleep?" She asked.

Oh. He hadn't thought of that.

"It's okay. I'll go get Sophia. I'm sure I can rustle up a cot or something." She smiled.

_Or you can sleep with me._ He thought. Daryl was now convinced that Hershel had slipped him something.

TWD

Daryl couldn't help but think he was an idiot. Carol still hadn't returned and it had been over an hour since she'd left with a promise to return with Sophia shortly. He'd either scared her off or she realized she and her daughter deserved better than he could give them. He resigned himself to the fact that Carol wouldn't be returning and tried to drop off to sleep.

He tossed and turned as much as his battered body would allow. Still, sleep wouldn't come. He listened to footsteps in the hall and heard doors opening and closing as the house's residents turned in for the night. He could hear two female voices having a conversation in the hallway, but he couldn't make out what was being said. The conversation was quickly drowned out by the sound of rain pattering on the roof.

The soft and steady rain was enough to lull Daryl to sleep. Just as he was about to let himself succumb to the pull of sleep, the door swung open and the room was flooded with light. Carol stepped inside and shut the door quietly. She crept through the dark room and cracked open a door Daryl had assumed was a closet. After ensuring the door wouldn't close, Carol dropped onto the couch.

She was reviewing the events of the day when Daryl's voice broke into her thoughts. "Where's Sophia?" He whispered.

Carol jumped at the sudden sound. "I thought you were asleep."

He didn't say anything so she assumed he wasn't interested in a conversation.

"Where is she?" He asked again.

Carol stood now and walked to the chair she'd been sitting in before, not wanting their conversation to wake the girl in question. "She's in the next room with Carl. That's why I opened the door. The rooms are connected."

She'd gone to get Sophia only to find Carl curled up at the end of the bed. She'd thought about taking Sophia into Daryl's room anyway, but she didn't want Carl to wake up and be upset that she wasn't there. The kids had grown close and Carl had been very worried when he'd awoken after the gunshot ordeal and Sophia wasn't there.

Instead of moving either child Carol went downstairs to get Lori. The two women were in agreement that letting the kids stay together for the night certainly wouldn't hurt anything. Rick was not impressed. In no way did he find it appropriate that his son and Carol's daughter were sharing a bed. He maintained his position until the women dragged him upstairs and he saw the sleeping arrangement for himself. Finally he agreed that it was okay.

After relaying the entirety of the story to Daryl she was amused to find that his reaction was similar to Rick's. Carol helped him sit up and turned on the bedside lamp so he wouldn't trip. When he stepped into the next room he grunted his disapproval.

"And ya'll are alright with this little arrangement?" Daryl rasped.

Carol chuckled, "for tonight anyway. The boy cares about her, Daryl."

"Ain't happenin' again," he whispered.

"Yes, sir."

Daryl spun around to look at her and nearly dropped to the floor in pain. He hadn't meant for what he'd said to be taken as an order. He just didn't want that Grimes boy thinking he could get his hands on Sophia. Icy blues met clear, calm ones. "S-sorry. I didn't mean—"

"It's okay. You care."

"I don't—"

"Come on. You should get back to bed." She wasn't going to let him tell her he didn't care. She knew he did or he wouldn't have nearly died saving Sophia. She took his hand and pulled gently.

Begrudgingly he let Carol help him back to the bed. She positioned pillows so he could lay in the least painful position. He thought she must have been a nurse before all of this. She seemed to know just what to do for him.

"You really should let Hershel give you something for the pain." Carol chastised gently.

"Pretty sure he already did. Been havin' some weird feelings."

A look of confusion crossed Carol's face, "Hershel hasn't given you anything. Said you wouldn't take anything."

Daryl made another of his noncommittal noises. That was weird. If Hershel hadn't given him anything why the hell was he having all these warm fuzzy feelings about Carol. Dixons didn't do feelings and they sure as hell didn't do warm fuzzy feelings at that.

"Are you sure you don't want something?" She asked one more time.

"Yeah. Don't need to be all doped up if somethin' happens." He grumbled.

Carol shrugged and headed back toward the room Sophia shared with Carl.

"Where ya goin' now?" He asked groggily.

Carol could tell he was fighting sleep now. His voice was raspy and he could barely keep his eyes open. "I'm going to check on the kids and then I'm going to get some sleep."

"Mmkay."

TWD

Carol stepped back into Sophia's room and let out a breath. Daryl had said more to her in the last three hours than he had in the last three weeks—if you didn't count the times he'd gone off on her. And then there was the thing with Sophia and Carl. He'd acted exactly as Rick had. Sure it was normal for Daryl to be protective of Sophia after everything that had happened. What Carol didn't expect was that it would intensify that little inkling of desire she'd felt for the quiet hunter since he'd helped her ensure her husband wouldn't come back as one of those things. She pressed her back to the wall, slid down it to the floor, and tried to collect her thoughts.

Just as Carol had moved to collect her nightclothes Sophia began to stir in her sleep. As though he knew she was having a nightmare, Carl reached out and laid a hand on her ankle. Immediately Sophia stilled and stopped whimpering. Carol smiled at the effect the two kids had on one another and she was glad that Sophia had such a good friend in Carl. She stepped into the en suite and dressed quickly before returning to her place at the wall.

After settling into a semi-comfortable position she heard a faint grumbling from the doorway. She startled a little when she saw Daryl standing there.

"What're ya doin' on the floor?" He questioned in a whisper.

"Thinking," she sighed.

"'Bout what?"

"It's not important," she assured him.

"Well come on," he reached out a hand. "Ya cain't sleep on the floor."

Carol noticed that his drawl was much more pronounced when he was tired. "I should stay in here with the kids."

Daryl stood there for a moment. He was torn. He wanted nothing more to sleep in a bed, if only for just one night. He wanted even more to share that bed with Carol, but he knew she wouldn't leave her daughter. Daryl knew he was going to pay for this decision in the morning, but he would deal with it then. He backed up to the wall and lowered himself down next to Carol.

"You can't sleep down here. You'll be so stiff you won't be able to move in the morning." Carol whispered.

Daryl just shrugged and relaxed back against the wall.

"Daryl," she whispered sharply.

"I ain't leavin' you an' the kids alone. You wanna sleep in here on the floor, then I stay too. If you want me to go back in that room an' lay down, then you're comin' with." He'd given her a choice. A part of him hoped desperately that she would pick the bed, but he wasn't betting on it.

Carol sighed. She couldn't let him sleep on the floor. Maybe she could go back in there with him until he fell asleep. That likely wouldn't work either because as soon as she got up he'd be awake. She was torn. She couldn't leave Sophia, but she didn't want Daryl to be uncomfortable.

She reached over and took his hand. "Sorry. I can't leave my little girl."

Daryl nodded his understanding and relaxed further into the wall.

TWD

When Daryl awoke in the morning he was certain he was stuck in place, if only because it hurt so much to move. He was freezing despite the blanket covering him and Carol. They hadn't gone to sleep with a blanket. Where the hell had that come from?

He was still propped into the corned he'd say down in and Carol was still dozing though she was now leaned into his good side. Finally he opened one eye against the bright light flooding the room.

"'Bout time," Sophia giggled. Carl joined in readily.

He groaned as Carol moved next to him.

"Sorry," she yawned.

"What're you two doin' down there anyway?" Carl asked.

A blush crept up Carol's cheeks and Daryl dropped his head to his knees.

"Carl! You can't just ask them that. Look, they're all embarrassed now," she laughed. "I think they like each other," she whispered to Carl.

"Ewww." Carl crowed. "Come on, let's go get breakfast before they kiss or somethin' and make me wanna throw up."

With that the kids pushed up from their places on the bed and bounded out of the room as if nothing had happened.

Daryl groaned, "I told you that Grimes kid was bad news."

Carol chuckled, "come on. Breakfast sounds like a good idea." She stood and reached a hand out to help him up.

TWD

Breakfast was indeed a good idea. After a shower and being up and at 'em for awhile Daryl started to feel much more human. He spent most of the day on the porch cleaning his bow. He wasn't feeling well enough to split wood and fortify the fences with the others. Maybe tomorrow would be better.

Carol appeared on the porch and handed him a glass of water, "how ya feelin'?"

"Better."

"Good," she smiled before taking off down the steps.

"Where ya goin' off to now?" He asked.

"Need a tent. Hershel said he had some camping gear I could look through in the shed."

"Why don't ya'll just stay with me?" He asked before he could stop himself.

"Daryl. You don't have to—"

"May as well. Tent's plenty big enough. Didn't wanna hafta sleep on top of Merle. If ya don't wanna share I can swap ya spots. Ya'll can have my tent and I'll sleep in the RV."

"Okay," she smiled hesitantly.

Okay. Okay? Okay what? Okay we'll share a tent? Okay you take the RV? Daryl didn't have a clue, but before he could ask Carol was long gone.

He spent the rest of the day cleaning his bow. Again. And wondering what he was going to do about Carol. Eventually he moved from his place on the porch down to their campfire. He ate dinner and listened as the rest of the group talked animatedly. Hershel and his family had joined them for a camp-cooked dinner and the groups seemed to be meshing well.

When the fire began to die down members of the group slowly made their way back to their tents. Daryl watched as Sophia and Carol headed toward his tent. He stayed in his chair awhile longer, watching as the embers burned out.

He heard footsteps behind him, but didn't startle. Regular and calculated steps told him that the person approaching him was indeed alive so his anxiety waned. He was, however, a little surprised when Carol dropped down into the chair next to him.

"Where's Sophia?"

This was becoming a thing, apparently. If he couldn't see her he wanted to know where she was. Carol smiled at the thought. Daryl was not a man who was easily read by others. But Carol seemed to be the exception to that rule. She'd seen through his anger at her for what it was—disappointment in himself for failing to find Sophia. She had no doubt his behavior now was related to a fear that this was going to turn out to be horrible nightmare and at the end of it Sophia would still be missing; or worse, confirmed dead. This was a fear she knew well. She'd been processing the same feeling all day and was seriously disappointed when it refused to wane.

"She's with the Grimes' for the night. She and Carl practically begged for a sleepover," she smiled.

Daryl looked toward Rick and Lori's tent warily. His gaze flicked back and forth between Carol and the tent. She knew he wanted to say something about her letting Sophia go off with the Grimes family after everything they'd just been through.

"She's safe, Daryl. Rick won't let anything happen to her."

"Ain't what I'm worried about."

Carol chuckled softly, "don't worry. Opposite sides of the tent."

The look on Daryl's face softened slightly. After a short, but comfortable silence Daryl was completely blindsided by a yawn. "Guess that means I should go to bed."

Carol nodded and stood and Daryl did the same. "See ya in the mornin' I guess?" He asked.

A look of confusion and then embarrassment crossed Carol's face. She thought he'd be staying in the tent with them. She found herself surprisingly devastated at the perceived rejection. "Yeah," she choked out before stalking off to her new tent. Alone.

Daryl didn't miss the tone of her voice or the look on her face. He just wasn't sure what it meant. "Hey," he whispered as he stepped off after her. "What's wrong?" He asked as he grabbed for her wrist.

"Nothing. It's fine," she whispered raggedly.

"Ain't nothin' fine if you're upset."

"I just thought… It doesn't matter." She set off for the tent once more.

Daryl was totally lost. He followed her back to the tent. He needed to get a long sleeved shirt anyway. He crawled into the tent after her and rifled through his bag for a shirt. When he sat back on his knees he noticed Carol sitting in the far corner of the tent watching him.

"I can sleep in the RV tonight. You don't have to give up your tent."

"Ain't givin' up anything. I told ya we could share…" He shook his head. "I'm no good at this shit. You gotta just tell me what ya want. If you wait for me to figure it out it'll never happen," he rasped.

"I want you to stay," she offered meekly. She'd been better about not letting the others walk all over her. That voice she'd found once Ed was gone was making itself known. But for some reason with Daryl it was always one step forward and two steps back. This admission had been her attempt at making a leap forward to regain some lost ground.

Daryl could see that it took a lot for her to admit that and he resolved not to push any further for the night. He nodded in an attempt to reassure her. His heart was pounding in his chest as he tried to figure out what to do next.

"Ya got a sleeping bag?" He asked.

Carol shook her head. "Ed…I…we only had two and Sophia needed one and the other one…"

"'S'okay," he murmured as he pulled Merle's bag out from under his. He'd been using it as a pad, but he'd gladly give that up for her.

He watched as she shivered in the corner and realized that Merle's summer bag wasn't going to be enough for her. He went back to his bag and dug out another flannel shirt that still had its sleeves and handed it to her. Carol took the shirt gladly and slipped it on over her sweatshirt. She was nearly drowning in his shirt. And in his scent.

She watched as he spread Merle's bag out on the ground and did the same with his before zipping them together. He handed her a blanket before crawling into the double bag.

"It'll be warmer if we share. We only got summer bags 'cause neither of us got cold real easy and they're lighter to carry," he offered. "You can use the blanket to wrap up in."

Carol nodded. She kicked off her boots and scooted into the bag. How in the hell was she supposed to get any sleep? While she contemplated that dilemma she noticed that Daryl was struggling to get comfortable. He'd bunched up a jacket under his head as a pillow, but it wasn't enough. Tired of his flipping and flopping and grimacing with discomfort Carol folded the blanket into a long pillow and nudged his shoulder. "Lift up your head," she prompted.

"You're s'posed to use it to keep warm."

"I'm plenty warm," she lied. "Lift up your head."

Finally he did so and she slid the blanket under his head. He settled in and seemed to find a comfortable position quickly. Meanwhile Carol was lying with her back to him. She was doing a good job of keeping her shivering to a minimum, but Daryl could hear her teeth chattering.

"Told ya you'd be cold," he sighed.

"I'll be fine," she managed through the chattering.

"You're gonna freeze to death."

Eventually he couldn't take it anymore and he reached an arm out and pulled her against his chest. She was stiff against him and her breathing was a little labored. He was certain he'd made a mistake until she began to relax.

"This okay?" He asked huskily.

"Yeah," she yawned.

Daryl smiled into her neck. He breathed her in. Despite always being dirty, she always managed to smell good. He knew her scent would linger on the shirt he'd given her. He was a glutton for punishment, apparently. Soon she was snoring softly in his arms and he was quick to follow suit.

TWD

Daryl woke with a start. It was still dark and he wasn't immediately sure what had caused him to wake up. After a few moments of silence he heard footsteps pass by the tent. He recognized the footsteps to be Shane's as he made the rounds. Daryl settled back in, but it didn't take him long to realize that Carol was no longer asleep.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing. Just Shane makin' the rounds." He whispered against her ear.

Carol rolled from her back to face him and gasped a little when she realized how close they were. Her body ached for him in a way she'd long since forgotten she could ache. Her fingers tingled in anticipation as she thought about touching him. Her whole body hummed as she thought about tracing the hard lines of his body, learning the curves and angles of bim, learning the history that defined him. Her whole body burned with the need to know him.

She was pulled from her reverie when calloused fingers brushed over her cheek. She reached up and took his hand in hers. Her fingers trailed over his before she turned his hand over and traced the lines and callouses of his palm.

"What're ya doin'?" He whispered raggedly.

Daryl felt like he was seconds away from combusting. As a general rule just being in close proximity with Carol was enough to send his heart racing and his palms sweating. This was a whole new level of panic. The only thing he knew for sure was that he shouldn't run from her—couldn't run from her. Just the thought of running in terror sent a jolt of pain through his chest. He willed his body to relax into her touch.

Carol shrugged and dropped his hand, "I want to know you."

"Ya already know me."

"You know what I mean," she pulled away a little in an attempt to give him some space.

Despite his "who me?" act, he definitely knew what she meant. He pulled her back toward him, "ain't pretty." His voice was raspy and broken. He was certain that once she knew him—really knew him—she'd be disgusted. He wished he could see more than just her silhouette, but he didn't want to draw attention to their tent. He needed to see her eyes, to feel the calm reassurance that only she could offer him.

Carol sighed and reached for his hand again. "There are so many beautiful things I wish I could show you," she whispered as she guided his hand under the layers of shirts to rest on her hip. She singled out his index finger and used it to trace a particularly bad scar. One that had needed stitches, but Ed had forbidden her from seeking medical attention. She'd stitched the wound herself with an old suturing kit from a long-forgotten stint in nursing school. She took a steadying breath, "but I can't. I can only show you who I am now. Whom this life has transformed me into."

Daryl kissed her then. It did absolutely nothing to quell the raging need he felt for her. He thought that if he ever had to stop kissing her, stop touching her, he might die from pure need. He hissed in pain as he rolled to hover over top of her.

"You're going to hurt yourself," she breathed against his lips.

"Don't matter," he mumbled. "No fuckin' privacy around here. Don't know when I'll get you to myself again." With that declaration in mind, the hand that she'd guided to her hip now moved up her flat stomach. He mapped out her skin with his fingertips as his tongue warred with hers for dominance. After what felt like an eternity his fingers swept under the too-loose waistband of her cargo pants. She sucked in a breath as his fingers moved tentatively.

He wanted nothing more than to strip her and map out her entire body with his mouth. Unfortunately that idea was vetoed when he felt her shiver beneath him. He felt bad that she was still cold despite his efforts. He pressed his body closer to hers in an attempt to trap more body heat between them.

Daryl had no intention of stripping her naked while she was clearly freezing, but it was evident that Carol did not share his feelings on the matter. Her fingers made quick work of the button on his pants before pushing them off of his hips. He kissed her hard to stifle a groan as she stroked him through the thin material of his boxers. When he could take no more, Daryl pulled her hand away and pinned it at her side. "Gonna be over 'fore it starts if ya keep that up."

He pulled at the snap on her pants and she lifted up a little so he could push them down. Once free she opened up to him as he came to rest over top of her again. He stroked her tentatively through her panties as she writhed underneath of him. She buried her face in his chest to drown out the desperate moans he was pulling from her.

"Daryl, please." She whispered into his ear.

Relief swept through him at her plea. He thought she'd never ask. He pulled her underwear down and lined himself up at her core. He tried to push in slowly to give her time to adjust, but Carol had other ideas. As soon as the blunt tip of his cock entered her she bucked up into him, nearly knocking the wind out of Daryl in the process.

He was totally shocked that he hadn't come right then and there. She was a perfect fit for him. He couldn't help but think they'd been made for on another. It was a shame it had taken the end of the world to find the missing piece of himself.

Daryl was content to stay where he was; but, as usual, Carol had different plans. "Please move." She was so desperate for him to move and create that sweet friction she craved that it sounded very much like she was begging him. Unwilling to deny her anything, Daryl moved slowly, experimentally, before finding a rhythm to seemed to suit them both.

Carol very quickly felt herself hurtling toward the edge, but Daryl's movements were so stiff she knew he was nowhere near release. She could feel the anxiety and uncertainty radiating off of him. Carol reached up to stroke his face and hopefully jerk him back to the present. "Relax," she whispered soothingly. "Let go."

To her utter surprise and delight Daryl did just that. His strokes became smooth and instinctual rather than the measured, jerky movements from moments before. She felt his body go rigid again and he buried his face in her neck.

"Please," he whispered hoarsely.

He didn't even need to finish his request. Carol went hurtling off of that cliff right after him. Her body vibrating as release washed over her. Daryl jerked once, and again, before collapsing on top of her in a breathless heap. He listened intently as her heart rate returned to a somewhat normal rhythm.

Carol reached up to move his face out of her shoulder so she could see him. Her heart began to race again when his eyes wouldn't meet hers. He looked painfully uncertain which was a little out of character for him. She thought he almost looked ashamed.

In an effort to give him what she thought he wanted she moved away and adjusted her clothing so she was fully dressed once gain. She moved to get out of the sleeping bag so she could head to the RV and give him space. Despite everything, it seemed happiness—outside of her daughter—just wasn't in the cards for Carol Peletier.

She choked back a sob as she fumbled for the zipper on the bag before realizing that she'd have to reach over Daryl to get it. She wanted to curl up and die. He'd given her what she wanted, but at what cost to her? She sighed shakily and began to scoot out of the bag.

"That it then?" His voice was gravelly and she noted a hint of sadness. Sadness for what though? For giving in to her and regretting it? Probable.

"You didn't have to do this," she reminded him quietly. "I didn't ask for this, didn't make you do any of this. If this isn't—"

"Stop," he choked out. "Don't…I don't…I cain't."

"I know." Came out on a whispered sob. She moved to get up but was quickly reeled back in when a strong arm wrapped around her waist.

"I don't know how to do this," he admitted.

"Do what?"

"Be what you need. I don't know how to be the man you need…your little girl needs. I don't—"

Carol pressed her fingers to his lips. "Yes you do."

Daryl shook his head, but Carol stopped him. The hand at his chin tilted his head up so she could see his eyes. "Yes. You do."

He watched her intently as he tried to figure out if she was challenging him or if she really had faith in him—maybe both. He nodded slowly and her hand moved from his chin to cup his cheek. Carol stroked the light scruff on his cheek and the gentle, soothing strokes quickly overrode his brain's frantic attempt to make sense of everything that had just happened. Daryl settled into her touch and found himself drifting off under her touch despite his attempts to fight drowsiness. Carol wasn't far behind him.

TWD

Carol woke the next morning to Daryl wrapped around her. She was lying on her side with Daryl behind her. His head was resting on his right arm and his left was wrapped around her waist holding her tight to him. She could feel his very prominent erection pressing insistently into her ass. She moved experimentally and was immediately rewarded with Daryl's hand moving to her waist and pressing her further into himself. After a few moments he pushed at her hip to encourage her to turn and face him.

When she came face to face with Daryl he was smiling that crooked half-smile he seemed to reserve only for her. She leaned in to kiss him, but the second her lips met his they were interrupted by a chorus of "ewws!" and gagging noises outside the tent.

Daryl and Carol nearly flew apart only to realize that they were sharing a sleeping bag. "You two, go find Lori, NOW!" Carol directed while trying to stifle a chuckle.

"Told you they were gonna kiss!" Carl taunted.

"Yeah, yeah," Sophia sassed, "and now we're gonna be in trouble when my mom and Daryl come outta there."

"Wasn't even worth it either. Why would you even wanna do that. Kissing's nasty." Carl made more gagging noises as the young pair headed toward the fire pit where Carl's mother was working on building up the fire for breakfast.

Carol dropped her head to Daryl's shoulder and her body began to shake. It took a few moments for him to realize that she was laughing, not crying. He chuckled along with her, before kissing her forehead and pulling her to him.

Daryl sighed, "well at least we know li'l Grimes won't be makin' a move on Sophia for the time bein' anyway."

This caused Carol to fall into another fit of giggles. Daryl wrapped his arms around her and laid back again. He often woke up wishing he could go back and change the things he'd done to get himself to this point. But on this morning Daryl finally understood that everything he'd done, everything he'd been through, only served to make him the man that Carol wanted—needed—and he decided then that for her, it was all worth it.


	5. Secrets

**Sorry this took so long. No writer's block. Not really. You guys get the same excuses I give my husband: work, gym, girls weekend, opening weekend for Iowa football (and I had tickets!), oh my. So the truth is I just really haven't had time. I get a half hour here or there but it isn't enough to really flesh anything out. Things should be settling down soon so hopefully that equals more regular updates! (Except on Saturdays; because, you know, football!) **

**I own nothing. **

**Anyway, on with the show.**

"Where are we going?" Carol asked breathlessly as she trailed even further behind Daryl. They'd been walking through the woods behind Hershel's property for a little over 20 minutes. She hadn't given it much thought when he'd asked her to come with him, just trusted implicitly that he'd never lead her astray. But the longer they walked the more time her mind had to wander. And wander it did.

"Why? Afraid I'm gonna leave ya out here?"

She stopped, suddenly frozen in place. There it was. Her biggest fear laid out on the table for him to see. Almost as if he'd spoken the words as she'd thought them. She watched as he took a few more long strides forward before realizing that she was no longer following.

"What the hell, woman?" He griped. Daryl couldn't seem to push past his churlishness. He'd asked her to come with him, but now he was pushing her away again. When he turned around he saw something flicker across her face before she schooled her features once again. She was getting better. Not letting so much emotion play over her. Less crying. God was he grateful for less crying. But her blunted affect made it that much more difficult to figure her out.

He took a step forward and she took one back. He advanced further and she retreated even more. "Ain't gonna leave ya out here. I just…just trust me. Please."

Carol eyed him warily. Finally she met his icy stare and was surprised to find that he didn't look away. He reached out a hand, beckoning her. After what seemed like an eternity she nodded, but didn't take his hand, and stepped toward him. He took that as his cue and continued forward.

"Couldn't leave ya out here anyway. We'd all starve to death if we left the cookin' up to Andrea or Lori." He grumbled as he moved toward their destination once again. He was pleased to hear that that particular sentiment earned him a chuckle from Carol.

"They can cook," she defended half-heartedly. "They're just better at other things."

"What other things?" He barked out on a laugh. "Shooting me and screwing Shane?"

This earned him a full on laugh from Carol. It was good to hear her laugh again.

"To be fair, Lori only did one of those things," she said between fits of laughter.

They walked a little further before he turned to face her. This time she didn't back away from him. Daryl stopped moving and Carol came to a stop in front of him.

"Close your eyes," he said softly, any hint of humor gone from his voice.

"Why?"

Daryl didn't miss the suspicion that flickered over her features. He didn't know whether to he should be miffed that she didn't trust him or to be glad that she'd learned that almost no one was to be trusted in this world. He settled for mildly annoyed. He'd given her no reason to believe that he wouldn't ensure her safety at all costs. On the other hand he hadn't kept his promise to bring back her little girl. He could understand her hesitancy. But she had to know he did the best he could. He'd tried.

"It's a surprise," he croaked out.

Carol watched him for any indication that this was all a big joke. Or a trap. She found none. While Daryl wasn't exactly an open book, she could usually suss out what was going on with him. She met his unyielding gaze once more and decided to follow her gut. Daryl wouldn't hurt her. He wouldn't put her in danger. She gave in and let her eyes flutter shut.

The next thing she felt were Daryl's fingers twining with hers. He pulled her along gently while he cleared brush in front of him so she wouldn't trip. Suddenly he dropped below her and grabbed her other hand.

"What are we—"

"Careful. Step down," he guided. "We have to go down a little ways, just step when I say and you'll be okay."

Carol nodded and followed his direction. A few moments later she landed on solid ground. She could hear noise now, but she couldn't place it right away. It sounded almost like…running water?

"Open your eyes." His voice was gravelly now.

She did as instructed and let out an audible gasp at what she found. Daryl had led her to a small, stream-fed lake enclosed by a ridge. The sound of running water immediately served to soothe her frayed nerves.

Before Daryl could ask if this was okay she was off and running. She shucked her boots and socks and rolled up her pants as she made her way to the water. He decided he'd probably done well as he watched her dip her toes into the cool water. He dropped his pack on a rock and walked over to where Carol now sat.

"This okay?" He asked warily.

"It's fantastic," she smiled. "But why'd you bring me here? What about the others?"

Daryl shrugged, "remembered you mentioning to Lori that you missed bein' able to swim like when we were at the quarry. An' I thought we could both use some peace an' quiet after all the excitement the last few days."

Carol smiled at the thought. Despite his reputation among the group as standoffish, Carol was coming to know the softer, gentler side of Daryl Dixon and she was glad for it. She wished she could she could make him see the man she saw in him.

"It's beautiful. Too bad swimsuits aren't exactly necessary post-apocalyptic attire," she lamented.

Daryl had totally forgotten about the dropped pack as he watched Carol swirl her feet in the water. Without a word he pushed up from his place next to her and retrieved the bag. He handed it to Carol and she gave him a questioning look.

"Jus' open it," he smirked.

Carol unzipped the bag and reached in hesitantly. She rifled through the contents before emerging with a swimsuit.

"I…uh…Glenn," he cleared his throat. "Glenn an' Maggie picked it up on a run. I asked them to pick it up." He admitted in a whisper.

Carol let her eyes roam over his body before settling on his lips, and then his eyes. Despite his apparent nervousness, Daryl's normally icy blue gaze was calmer, clearer, more at ease. She suddenly realized how close there were. If she moved just a little…

"Thank you," she whispered as she pulled away.

Daryl let his gaze drop to the ground. "If you wanna change I'll…"

"Yeah," she breathed as she pushed up from the ground.

Daryl stood and turned his back to her. He willed himself to think of anything other than Carol changing behind him.

Carol looked herself over as best she could without a mirror. Only weeks ago she wouldn't have been caught dead in anything even remotely revealing. But the bruises had faded and she'd learned to live with the scars she knew never would. Despite all of that she was pleasantly surprised at how well Maggie had guessed her size.

"Done," she smiled as she strutted off toward the water. She made it to the water's edge before she realized that Daryl was still standing awkwardly where she'd left him, though he had turned to face her. "Aren't you coming?"

He shrugged, "hadn't really planned on it. Didn't bring anything…"

Carol smiled, "I think Glenn and Maggie took care of that for you too. Check the bag."

Daryl opened the bag and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Or maybe he should just kill Glenn. Or kiss him. He fished out the shorts and held them up.

"No excuses now," she teased. She turned back toward the water to give him some privacy to change. When she heard him step into the water she turned back around. He'd changed into the shorts, but had left his shirt on. She walked back toward him and stopped short of dripping all over him. She reached out to finger the hem of his shirt, "can't swim with that on. You won't have anything dry to wear back."

He shrugged, "ain't nothin' pretty to look at under the shirt."

She let go of his shirt and grabbed for his hand, "it's just us."

Daryl nodded as he stared at their joined hands. And then her hand was gone and she was wading back out into the water. His fingers tingled and her words echoed in his head. He shed his shirt and waded out into the water after her.

Carol turned just as Daryl dove under the surface. She didn't miss that his shirt was lying in a heap where they'd been standing moments earlier. She looked around expecting to see him pop up out of the water. When he didn't appear after several seconds she began to panic. What if he'd hit his head as he dove in? What if there were walkers in the water that she couldn't see? What if…

"What's wrong?" Daryl chuckled as he shook water from his hair.

Carol let out the breath she'd been holding. As Daryl moved to find his footing she reached out and grabbed his shoulders to steady herself. They'd ended up far enough out that Carol couldn't touch, but Daryl could.

"Nothing," she shook her head.

"Ya worry too much," he smirked at her.

"I worry just enough," she countered as she pushed off of his shoulders.

Daryl grabbed her wrists, "where ya going?"

"I'm going to go take advantage of the access to water and wash off some of this dirt that seems to be a permanent presence. Wish I'd known we were coming here. Woulda brought some soap," she lamented.

Daryl dropped one wrist and let his hand fall back into the water. He felt around for the pocket of his swim trunks and pulled out a plastic baggie and held it out toward Carol. "Picked it up at the pharmacy last time we made a run. Ain't that smell-good shit you women are always fawning over, but it was the best I could find."

Carol snagged the proffered bag and almost shrieked in delight. She reached out to hug him before realizing that would likely send him running for the hills. She let her arms drop again and thanked him quietly before moving to a shallower area. She could feel the flush draining from her cheeks as she swam away.

Daryl stood in place and watched as Carol swam away. He couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. When he'd given her the bag it'd almost seemed as though she was going to hug him. When she'd pushed away instead he felt his chest start to ache.

He watched as she waded over to a rock and set the bag down. She slipped back under the water to wet her hair before lathering up with shampoo. Once she'd rinsed and conditioned she reached into the bag once more for the body wash. She could care less if she came out smelling like flowers, at least she could feel clean if only for a few moments. She poured a little of the soap into her hand and lathered it up before scrubbing at every surface she could reach. She washed as much of her back as she could reach before turning to lean against the rock to wash her legs. When she turned around she came face to face with Daryl.

"Let me help," he said softly as he took bottle of soap from her. He put a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face away from him. Once her back was to him he squeezed a little of the soap into his hand and lathered it up before spreading it over her shoulders and back. Carol was standing in water just high enough to cover an inch or so over the waist of her bikini bottoms. She tried to jerk away before his hands made it down that far but she'd been distracted by the things his hands were doing to her body. Before she could pull away his fingertips found the scars she'd been trying to hide. Unable to turn around and face him she just hung her head.

Daryl's fingers traced the scars knowing there was a pattern, but unable to decipher it. It seemed Ed had not been a man who'd left many physical scars, though he'd left many of the emotional variety. Daryl had seen firsthand that the man preferred to leave bruises that would fade so he could leave fresh ones later. All of a sudden it snapped into place. The lines weren't a random collection. They spelled something.

"Why?" He rasped.

Carol shrugged and then sighed. Lying to Daryl would do her no good. "Ed," she cleared her throat. "He liked his beer. And his poker. He really liked them together, especially when he was winning. Anyway…One night his friends were over and of course I was responsible for making sure they had cold beer and something to eat. He'd sent me into the kitchen for something. I don't remember what it was now. But one of his friends followed me in there." She sniffed and took a breath as Daryl's hands moved from the scar at the base of her back up to her shoulders. He pulled her back into him and she tried to forget about the warmth of his skin against hers as she finished her story. "Ed came in the kitchen. His friend had me pushed against the counter, but as soon as Ed came in he made like I was the one who started it. I thought for sure he was gonna beat me to death that time. But he didn't. Instead he finished his game and when his friends went home he came back into the kitchen. I was prepared for it. Ready to die. But he didn't hit me. Instead he grabbed my hair and held me against the counter while he pulled his pocketknife out. He didn't do it quickly. Wanted me to remember every excruciating second so I would remember whom I belonged to. Or so he said. But in case I forgot, the scar would serve as a reminder to any man I could… Any man I could trick into wanting me."

Daryl held her against him waiting for the sobs that never came. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Sorry I couldn't protect ya from him."

Carol could feel the rumble of his voice against more than she could hear it. "You didn't even know me then," she sighed.

"Didn't do nothin' at the quarry though. Wanted to, but Merle wouldn't let me. Said it weren't my place to get between a man and his wife."

Carol huffed out a breath, "I would hardly call Ed a man."

"I shoulda…"

"It's fine," she said as she reached up to grab his hand reassuringly. Daryl never spoke this much and the fact that he had voluntarily initiated contact was enough to have her on edge. She wondered where all this was going, but knew better than to get her hopes up. "He was right…Merle. Wasn't your place," she sighed. "I should have done a lot of things I didn't. I should have left him the first time he laid a hand on me. Or any of the times after that." _But then I wouldn't have had Sophia. Wouldn't have met you._ _Sometimes I think it might have been better that way. _

"Sometimes I wish he had lived that night so I coulda killed him myself," he confided. "Couldn't find Merle in Atlanta, so he wasn't around to talk me out of it."

Carol chuckled softly, "in all honesty if he hadn't died that night I'd have killed him myself. The way he looked at Sophia…I couldn't let anything happen to her. Didn't think anyone would think twice about it. You all knew. Much as I tried to hide it…" She didn't want to talk about Ed anymore. And the feeling of Daryl wrapped around her was the perfect distraction.

Daryl nuzzled his face into her neck. Despite having just washed, she still smelled as she always did: sweet and uniquely Carol. He never wanted to go back to the farm. He didn't want to deal with Shane going off half-cocked, Andrea and her Annie Oakley routine, Carl's antics and Lori's inability to keep track of him, Daryl didn't want to deal with any of it. He never wanted to leave this place. He wanted to get lost in Carol and forget all shit the last few months had thrown his way. His lips grazed the sensitive skin of her neck and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her, taste her, make her his. But he knew it wasn't meant to be. Back at the CDC when Daryl had prevented Shane from going to Carol the former cop had made it clear that he was not the kind of man a woman like Carol would want. She was too good for him and he was just torturing himself.

Her hand still clutched Daryl's albeit a little more loosely. "You're a good man, Daryl. There's no way I could have asked for a better friend. A better protector." She felt him stiffen behind her and knew immediately that she'd made a mistake in labeling what they had. Before she could backtrack and fix it he'd already pulled away from her. She shivered a little at the loss of his warmth.

"Daryl, I'm sorr—"

"'S'okay," he assured her. But he wouldn't look at her. "You best get your siwmmin' in 'fore it starts to get dark."

"Dar—"

"I said it's fine." He pulled himself up onto the rock behind him and pulled his knees to his chest. His hand went to his mouth and he started to chew an invisible hangnail.

She watched him as he sat on the rock. He didn't look mad. That was unexpected. She'd automatically assumed he was upset that she labeled their friendship. Even more unexpected was that fact that instead of being pissed, he looked sad as he studied his thumb for another nonexistent hangnail to chew off. She watched silently and took note of the way the muscles in his arm bunched and relaxed as he turned his hand over and then back. The way the droplets of water glistened on his skin as the sunlight fell just right through the trees only added to the allure of watching his body. For such a rough man he was very graceful. It was too bad she'd have to appreciate that from afar.

"If ya ain't gonna swim we ought to head back," he mumbled.

She knew he didn't want her to watch as he bathed. She couldn't blame him. She was self-conscious about her own marks. Luckily the worst of the marks were hidden by her swimsuit. Ed had been very careful about leaving marks that others could see.

"I'll swim and leave you to cleaning up if you'll tell me what's wrong," she offered a compromise.

"Ain't like it matters."

"It matters to me," she wadded tentatively closer.

"Shouldn't."

"But it does. You're a good man."

"Yeah, yeah. And a good _friend_," he spat the last word with a contempt she'd rarely heard from him. So it was the label.

"Look I'm sorry I said it. I just…I don't know Daryl. What else do you call a person who makes sure you're safe and goes out of their way to bring you a little happiness when all you've known is hell?"

"I ain't a good man. The shit I've done…ya deserve better than I could ever give ya. Ain't the kinda person you deserve as a friend, but I wanted you to be able to have this." He gestured toward the little lake. "Ya do so much for everyone and ya never do anything for yourself. I just thought…"

"Why?" She interrupted him.

"Huh?" Confusion spread across his face.

"Why don't I deserve you?" She stepped toward him again, "as a friend." She clarified.

"Ya just deserve better," his gaze finally shifted from his hand to her face. He expected to see anger, but he was met instead with confusion. She genuinely didn't understand why he thought that.

"According to who?" She was now standing inches from the edge of the rock he sat on. She had to will herself not to touch him.

"Don't matter. There are better friends out there for ya. Ones that'll treat ya right and make sure you're safe." He hugged his legs tighter to himself. He hadn't really realized how close she had gotten.

Carol reached out now and laid a hand on his foot. He flinched a little, but when he didn't jerk back she took it as a good sign. "What if I don't want anyone else?" she nearly whispered. She reached up to stroke his leg and then grabbed his hand and held it in hers for a moment before tugging gently.

Daryl resisted for a moment, but soon joined her in the water again. His sun-warmed skin broke out in goose bumps; whether it was from the cool water or Carol's touch he wasn't sure. He met her gaze briefly, but looked away again. He could deal with a lot of things, but rejection at this point might kill him. It was, he realized, why he'd refused to believe she could or should even want him as a friend or anything else for that matter. He could keep himself in check if she didn't want him like that, but he knew he wouldn't be able to deal with it if she figured out she didn't even want him as a friend. So rejecting her first seemed like his best option.

"This ain't a good idea," he warned, but his heart wasn't in it.

"Can't be the worst one I've had," she shrugged. Her fingertips ghosted over his cheek and he couldn't help but lean into her touch. Carol sighed and moved her fingers to his chin nudging gently so he'd look at her. "I know what he said to you…Shane." She clarified.

Daryl pulled away then. He backed up until he hit the rock he'd been sitting on. This was it. She was going to tell him that douchebag Shane was right. There was no way a woman like her would ever want a man like him. He was too much like Ed. He'd grown up being taught that hitting women was the only way to keep them in line. Drugs and alcohol were a way of life. While Daryl didn't subscribe to either of those philosophies he'd definitely spent enough time around people who did to be guilty by association. He'd spent his childhood trying to avoid being beaten to death by his father or pushed into drugs by his brother. As an adult he'd worked his ass off for what? To live in a shithole apartment where he only had water and electricity about half time because all his extra money went to bailing Merle's sorry ass out of jail? Shane was right and it was no wonder Carol didn't want him. At least she was trying to let him down easy. Though now he thought that might be worse than if she just flat out rejected him.

"Daryl," her voice pulled him back to reality.

"Look, it's fine. He was right. I knew he was right. Just thought it would be different, I guess. Thought I could make it different…make it better…make it…right. I ain't like Merle. I—"

"Daryl, I know." She stepped forward again, effectively trapping him against the rock. "And Shane is about as far away from right as one person could get. There's something…off about him. But I heard him that night when you… I heard what he said to you and he was wrong. And I don't much care if you think it's a good idea, Daryl. I want this. I want _you_. I know you've done things you're not proud of. We all have. But those things don't make you a bad person or unworthy, no matter what some asshole ex-cop says to you. Look, if you're not interested that's fine. We go back to the way we were, no questions asked. I'm damaged goods, I get that. But I don't want you to fight it because some voice in your head is telling you you're not good enough." With that she backed away. Keeping him trapped like an animal would work out well for neither of them in this situation.

She dropped her head and started to turn away. She'd known where this declaration would lead. She was old and marked and Daryl could have his pick among the women back at camp. Why on earth would he want Ed Peletier's used up leftovers? Before she could go too far she felt his hand close around her wrist and pull her back toward him.

"I grew up with men like Ed. Learned their ways. Shane knows that. 'S'why he said what he did and I ain't sayin' he's wrong. But I would never hurt ya. Ain't like my daddy. Sure as hell ain't like Ed. Just tried ta keep my head down and make it through without gettin' in anyone else's way. I wanted to help ya. Just didn't know how, I guess. Didn't know if ya'd let me."

Her heart ached for him. She knew now that nothing she said could penetrate the armor he'd built around himself. He'd built it up for good reason and it wouldn't be easily dented—this she knew from experience. So, forgetting words for the moment, she moved back toward him. She reached up to push his hair back out of his face and trailed her fingers down his cheek. She stroked the soft scruff she found there while she nudged gently, encouraging him to look at her. When he finally looked up she dropped her hand to his shoulder and braced herself as she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him gently, hesitantly.

When he didn't return the kiss she figured she had her answer and pulled away from him. Before she could go too far, though, he pulled her back a little harder than necessary. She landed with a thud against him and he tilted her chin up so he could pick up where they'd left off. His kiss was a little rough, but hesitant, like he wasn't sure if he should be kissing her or not. When she responded in earnest he seemed to relax a little.

Daryl was well outside of his comfort zone now. Though he'd crossed that line when he'd shed his shirt before diving into the little lake. Now he was certain she could feel his hands shaking where they grasped her arms. But he was kissing her. Finally he wouldn't have to wonder what she tasted like or dream about what she would feel like beneath his hands. He could definitely step outside of his comfort zone if it meant he could keep kissing her. He really couldn't even find it in himself to be embarrassed that all her rubbing up against him had given him the most painful hard on he'd ever experienced. But he could deal with that too, embarrassment and all, if it meant he got to keep kissing her.

He nearly blacked out from pure pleasure as he felt her hand slide between their bodies and cup him. She stroked tentatively and he bucked into her hand involuntarily. A soft groan escaped his lips as he broke away from the kiss and dropped his head to her shoulder.

"Ain't gonna last long if ya keep doin' that," he breathed into her ear.

Carol chuckled and kept stroking him through his shorts. He reached down to pull her hand away just before she pushed him over the edge.

"Gotta stop," he panted.

"Why's that?" She asked teasingly.

His head snapped up in time to catch the wicked grin on her face. Before he could react Carol pulled the string on his shorts and reached in. She dropped her forehead against his chest as she started to stroke him again. His grip was tight, but not painful, against her upper arms. She knew he'd move to stop her soon.

He needed her to stop. But he sure as hell didn't want her to. Her delicate fingers wrapped around him were probably as close to heaven as he was bound to get at the moment. But the last thing he wanted to do was blow his load in less than two minutes. That'd definitely be a red flag to Carol that it'd been…awhile. He knew his grip on her arms was tighter than necessary, but he didn't want her to stop and he was having a hell of a time keeping himself together.

"Relax," she whispered. "Let it go now and later we can…"

"No," he growled as he moved to pull her hands away again. "I ain't lettin' you do that. Ya deserve better."

"I don't doubt you'll make it up to me," she whispered as she slipped her hand back out of his grip and grabbed his dick again. "If you let me take care of this now…"

He dropped her hand completely then and let her go back to what she was doing. It was already obvious to her that he wasn't going to last long this first time. Humiliation over, he guessed. He may as well just let her get him off so he stood some chance of lasting longer than five seconds inside her. He nudged her chin up again so he could at least kiss her.

He leaned heavily against the rock as she stroked him, but it wasn't long before his own hands began to wander. As she pushed his now loosened shorts off of his hips his fingers teased around the waistband of her bikini bottoms while his other hand palmed her breast. She moaned against his mouth as his hand slipped beneath her bottoms and he stroked along her slit. She was slippery despite the water and he was giddy that he'd elicited that response from her body. He began to circle her clit in time with her strokes, occasionally dipping into her core.

After a few moments he felt her body shudder under his touch and she moaned as she swept her tongue into his mouth. She stopped stroking him, momentarily lost in her own pleasure. Daryl pulled her against his body as he continued to run his fingers over her, prolonging her orgasm. He felt each little shockwave as it hit her.

Eventually she broke the kiss and laid her forehead against his chest as she tried to catch her breath. Daryl tried desperately to ignore the fact that he was still painfully hard. As it turned out, the little break he'd had only helped to increase his stamina. Luckily it only took a few moments for Carol to regain enough energy to continue. It wasn't long before she was rubbing against him and letting her hands explore his body once again.

Unable to wait any longer, Daryl leaned down and lifted Carol so her legs were around his waist and her arms were looped around his neck. He'd positioned her so that all he had to do was drop her down a little onto his cock. He was having a little trouble preventing himself from doing just that, especially as Carol wriggled her hips and ground herself against the head of his dick.

"Daryl, please," she nearly begged him.

That was all it took. At her direction he lowered her slowly as she reached between them to guide him into her. She kissed him again as he seated himself fully. Their tongues warred for dominance as Carol ground against him in an effort to drive him deeper. Finally Daryl moved so Carol was against the rock now. He positioned her so he could hold onto the ledge for leverage but protect her back from being torn up.

Daryl was frozen in place; afraid that if he moved he'd either hurt her or come apart completely. He pulled his mouth away from Carol's and dropped his forehead to her shoulder in an effort to calm his nerves. Finally he felt her relax around him and he released a low groan he didn't know he'd been holding back as he slipped deeper inside of her. Carol sighed contentedly before dipping her head to kiss him again.

When they broke apart again she saw uncertainty warring with need. Unwilling to let him run now, Carol reached up and stroked his face once more. "I want this, Daryl," she assured him. "I want _you_." Her words came out as barely more than a whisper before she captured his lips with hers once more.

Finally he began to move in earnest, sliding slowly and evenly in and out of her. She looped her arms around his neck once more to support herself so he could move more freely. "More," she whispered raggedly.

He quickly spared one hand from its place on the ledge to move her swimsuit top out of the way before dipping his head to suck and lick at her breast. As she began to writhe atop him, his strokes began to falter. He could feel her coiling tightly around him once again and wondered how long he'd be able to hold out.

As it turned out, Daryl wasn't going to be able to hold out for long. Not considering the way she was moving over him and the breathy moans he was eliciting from her with each stroke. She held tight to him as he shuddered through his release. It didn't take long for Carol to follow after him. He smiled against her skin as he felt her body sag against his. He gently leaned forward pressing his body against hers as he supported them against the ledge while they caught their breath.

Carol was almost certain he'd soon realize what they'd done and regret it. Daryl didn't let people get close emotionally, let alone physically. She rested her head against his shoulder, determined to enjoy what little time she had with him before he pushed her away again. She tentatively let her fingers explore his body, knowing that it would likely end her time with him more quickly, but not really caring.

To her utter surprise, instead of fleeing in panic, Daryl began to respond positively to her touch. She shivered as his lips blazed a trail from her shoulder, up her neck, to just behind her ear. "Please don't leave me," he pleaded quietly.

It was then that Carol realized she'd been so sure he'd reject her that she'd been tensed and ready to flee herself. She willed herself to relax and felt his body sag against hers in relief. She ducked her head and kissed his cheek and made her way to the corner of his mouth before he finally responded. "You have to know I'd never do that," she whispered breathlessly between kisses.

Daryl nodded against her forehead. While he seemed to know implicitly that she'd never hurt him it didn't mean he could shake his past that easily. He'd spent his whole life unable to trust others. Though Carol had spent a good deal of time and energy knocking down some of those walls she still had a ways to go, that much was obvious. He hugged her to him once more before readjusting their position so they could redress and Carol could stand on her own once again.

"I suppose we'd better get going soon," he muttered reluctantly.

Carol only shrugged in response.

"Group'll be wonderin' where we got off to…"

"If they even noticed we're gone," she finished his thought.

Daryl chuckled. She knew him well. "Don't really wanna be tryin' ta find our way back in the dark," he sighed.

"Come on, you should finish getting cleaned up before we go."

"You sayin' I smell, woman?" He chuckled.

"Mmmm," she hummed noncommittally before grabbing the body wash off of the ledge and lathering a little in her hands. She moved around behind him, but felt him tense as she massaged soap over his shoulders. "Relax, Daryl. It's just me." To her surprise he did relax a little as she worked her way down his back. Her fingers gently traced the scars that told the violent story of his life. She felt him heave a shuddering breath as she traced over the newest scar.

"Probably the only one I ain't ashamed of," he admitted.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of any of them," she soothed as she cupped her hands and rinsed the soap from his back. She looped her arms around his waist and kissed a trail up his back. She pressed the side of her face against his back and sighed heavily. They would start losing daylight soon. "I guess we'd better go," she sighed after a little while.

Daryl reluctantly agreed and took her hand as she unwrapped herself from him. He quickly washed his hair and the rest of his body before leading Carol out of the water and back to the backpack he'd brought with them. He handed her a towel and they dried off before redressing. Daryl shouldered the backpack and took Carol's hand to lead her out of the enclosed area.

They walked for several minutes before Daryl found the courage to speak, "Please don't, uh, don't tell anyone about…"

He felt her hand loosen and drop out of his as she nodded her agreement, "I won't," she choked out. She'd known it was coming; it was only a matter of when he'd realize he didn't want the whole group to know how low he'd stooped.

It was then that he realized what that must have sounded like. He stopped walking and grabbed for her arm, "hey, that ain't what I meant."

"Daryl, it's fine. I get it," she lied as she tried to step away from him.

"No ya don't. That ain't how I meant it. I just meant that I don't want the others to know about that place." He kicked at something Carol couldn't see in the dirt.

"It's okay. I won't tell them anything," she whispered.

"Hey, what's tha matter then?" He asked, genuinely concerned.

"Nothing," she gave him a half smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Ain't nothin' if you're upset," he observed.

"Look, Daryl, you don't have to do this. Any of it. Today was just…it was good…great, but if you don't—"

He cut her off with a kiss. He wasn't about to let her finish that thought. If she thought he wanted anyone else but her, she was crazy. Finally the need to breathe outweighed his need to show her how wrong she was and he broke the kiss. "Crazy woman. Don't you know that I love you?" He rasped.

Carol's breath caught in her throat. He'd just uttered the words she never thought she'd hear again, let alone from him. And of course the one time she wanted desperately to say the right thing she was struggling to come up with anything at all. She loved him too, but she couldn't make the words come out.

"'S'okay," he smirked. "Ya ain't gotta say it back or anything. I just—"

"No, I do, I just…" she finally blurted, "I do too."

After a few moments he leaned forward and kissed her forehead before taking her hand to lead her back toward the farm. The walk back was filled with comfortable silences and easy conversation. She'd expected that as they neared the farm he would put some distance between them. She was pleasantly surprised when he didn't.

As they approached the RV, Carol dropped his hand and made to open the door. As she stepped inside Daryl finally spoke, "Stay with me?"

Carol watched him, stunned.

"I-If ya want to, I mean."

"Always," she smiled before stepping inside to grab her things for the night.

**Okay, I kind of struggled with how to end this one. Also, I should give credit to The Eli Young Band where it's due. "Crazy woman. Don't you know that I love you?" Was a variation on their song "Crazy Girl." A little cliché, but it fit, and it sort of seemed like something Daryl might say in that moment. **

**Anyway, like I said before, if ya'll have any ideas for things you'd like to see let me know. **


	6. Mistakes

**Ehhh. I meant to post this yesterday. I have written, and rewritten, and rewritten (some more) the end of this and I just can't be happy with it. So here it is. I'm still unhappy with it, but ya'll have been (mostly) patiently waiting. So here it is.**

**It occurs to me that I've been lacking where smut warnings are concerned. But really, it's rated M and there's been smut in nearly every chapter. If you haven't figured it out by now then I can't help you.**

"You know it don't matter that you brought her daughter back, right Dixon?" Shane smirked. "Woman like Carol… She won't make the same mistake twice." He stopped to wipe the sweat from his face.

They'd been chopping wood for the better part of the morning. A cool summer day was a rare occurrence in Georgia and the group was making the most of it. Hershel had agreed to let them stay on the condition that they pull their weight and help prepare for winter. Shane had started out trying to make small talk with the younger Dixon, but when those efforts failed he'd turned to cruelty just to see what reaction he could draw.

"Leave it be, Shane." Rick warned.

Shane just rolled his eyes, "Come on, man. You know I'm right. Carol ain't stupid. She's learned her lesson about guys like you."

Without warning Daryl lunged at Shane. He caught the larger man by surprise and had him on the ground before he could get his bearings. He even got a couple good punches in before Rick hauled him up and away from the former cop.

Shane just laughed as he wiped blood from his face, "that's exactly what I'm talkin' about ya fuckin' redneck. Even if ya thought ya had a chance with her it's sure as shit gone now," he jerked his head in the direction of the house.

Daryl stopped fighting Rick long enough to look up toward the house. Carol stood on the steps, hands on Sophia's shoulders, a look of terror mixed with disgust on her face. Shane was right, he'd never had a chance with Carol; but if he _had _had one, it was sure as hell gone now. He jerked free of Rick's grasp and took off toward his camp. As Daryl passed the porch he heard Sophia ask Carol a question that nearly broke his heart.

"Mama, why's Mr. Daryl so upset?"

He didn't stick around long enough to find out what Carol's answer to that question was going to be. He didn't want to know. It was better if he didn't know that she thought he was a monster. He grabbed his crossbow, a stringer, and a canteen and stalked out into the woods.

TWD

"Man, what the hell's his problem?" Shane chuckled as he dusted himself off.

"You, Shane." Rick dismissed him. "It's always you." He picked up his axe and swung it down into the stump before walking away. He headed up the steps to the house, bypassing Carol and Sophia, before stepping inside to get some water and a towel.

"What was all that about?" Lori asked as he leaned against the kitchen counter. Just as he was about to tell her what had happened Carol and Sophia appeared in the doorway.

"Sophia, sweetie, why don't you go upstairs and sit with Carl awhile." Carol grabbed the girl's shoulders and turned her in the direction of the steps.

"Yes, mama." She answered reluctantly. She had a sneaking suspicion that Daryl was upset about something with her mom. She stopped about halfway up the stairs, hoping to hear what Rick had to say.

"Sophia Peletier, you do as you're told," he mother's voice carried through the house. The girl got up with a huff and headed to Carl's room.

Carol looked from Rick to Lori and back. Rick scrubbed his hands over his face and took another drink of water before answering his wife's question. "Shane was just running his mouth," he finally answered evasively.

"Sure Daryl can be a loose cannon, but he doesn't usually go off without cause." Carol reasoned.

"Definitely wasn't without cause, that's for sure." Rick sighed.

"Then what was the problem?" Carol asked now, mildly annoyed. Since the death of her husband and the near loss of her daughter she'd become a different person and the group was just starting to adjust to that. It still came as a surprise when she spoke up.

Rick sighed again and started to pace. "Shane might have implied that Daryl wasn't unlike Ed."

"What do you mean, 'might have implied'?" Carol was definitely annoyed now. Annoyed with Rick for evading her questions. Annoyed with Shane for assuming he knew anything.

"He told Daryl that it didn't matter that he found Sophia…that you wouldn't make the same mistake twice when it came to men like him and Ed." Rick's steely gaze dropped from Carol's face to the floor. He wasn't sure if he was embarrassed because he didn't stick up for Daryl or because he was being forced to relay the events to his wife and Carol. He wasn't sure how Carol felt about Daryl, but it was clear the man had some kind of feelings for her. He'd suspected that that might be the case, but Daryl was so reserved and Rick was determined to respect that. They were all constantly in one another's business and the man deserved to have his secrets.

Rick didn't really know what he expected Carol to do. Maybe yell? Or cry? Or both? But all she did was nod slowly. Just as she was about to say something Shane walked in the door.

"Who died?" Shane joked in an attempt to lighten the mood. When no one responded he thought something might have actually happened, "Whoa, no one actually died? Did they?" He asked tentatively.

"Not yet," Carol glowered at him. "But if something happens to him or he doesn't come back it would be in your best interest to go somewhere far away from here." Without much thought she shoved him hard in the chest causing Shane to slam into the wall behind him. Before she could go at him again Shane grabbed her wrists. But Carol was quicker and she slipped out of his grasp.

"Do not mistake me for a weak woman. I may have put up with Ed's shit for the better part of my adult life, but that does not mean I intend to make the same mistake twice. You know nothing about me. Or the kind of man I might be apt to trust in this world. Nothing. Do you understand that? So help me, if Daryl doesn't come back here in one piece… You'd just better hope he does. He found my daughter. Saved her while you were running around killing innocent men and terrorizing other members of this group and Hershel's family. I know you did what you had to do to save Carl, but _he_ saved my baby. Daryl did. And for that I will be forever grateful to him. So the next time you think you need to run your mouth to him, or to anyone else in this group. Don't. Just don't."

Having said her peace, Carol turned to Lori and Rick. "Would you guys be able to keep an eye on Sophia tonight?"

Lori reached for her friend and pulled her into a hug. She wished she had the courage to say the things to Shane that needed saying. "Of course we will, sweetie."

Finally the women separated and Rick pulled Carol into a quick hug, "just let us know what you need."

Shane watched in shock as Carol stepped away from the Grimes' and left the kitchen. "What got into her?" He mused.

Lori just sighed and shook her head before putting away the last of the dishes and leaving the kitchen in search of a Shane-free area.

TWD

Carol went upstairs in search of Sophia. She found her daughter curled up at the end of Carl's bed. The boy was doing much better, but he was still very tired and inclined to sleep most of the day. She sat down next to Sophia and stroked her hair. She really thought she'd never see her again and just the thought of her brush with death had Carol choked up.

And Daryl. The quiet hunter. He'd risked his own life to save her daughter. He'd come back broken and battered, but with her daughter in tow. She owed him everything. They'd grown closer in the last few weeks. He'd shown some interest back at the quarry in that she was the only person he'd talk to. That had nearly gotten her in trouble with Ed on several occasions. But once Ed was gone their relationship had blossomed. At least as much as anything could blossom with that man.

She'd often thought about a relationship outside of friendship, but he was so skittish and standoffish, she knew that would never be a possibility. She dreamt of him often. Even more so since he'd returned with Sophia. And if there were any hope of anything with him Shane had surely ruined that chance.

She sat on the bed and watched as Sophia and Carl napped. They'd had a rough go of it, but hopefully things would be better. They'd be moving into the relative safety of the house soon enough. They'd have plenty of wood and food for winter. There was really only one thing that could make it better at this point.

TWD

Daryl stalked angrily through the woods. Shane was right. Of course he was. Daryl knew that. The way she'd looked at him as he walked back to his camp. She'd looked disgusted with his actions. And why shouldn't she? She'd lived with violence for so long. Surely she wouldn't want a life with a man who couldn't hold his temper in check just because someone told him the truth.

He found a tree that looked easily climbable and made his way up. He found a branch that looked stable and made himself comfortable. He wasn't sure what he was waiting for. He was just waiting. He loaded his crossbow and waited for something promising to cross his path.

Several squirrels and a raccoon later Daryl had made up his mind. Once it was dark he'd take his kills back to camp, clean them, and leave all but a couple squirrels for the group. Once that was done he would clean up his camp and head out. He'd done his duty. He'd provided for the group and he'd found Sophia, there was nothing holding him at the farm. He could set out to find his brother.

Despite having resolved to leave, Daryl still felt like something was wrong. Deep down he knew what it was, but he refused to acknowledge it. He refused to admit that the only reason he wanted to stay at the farm was so that he knew Carol and Sophia were safe and provided for. They'd be moving inside soon and there were plenty of supplies for winter. He would be leaving them well prepared with little to worry about.

He could do this.

TWD

It was dark. And considering the cool temperature that day it was getting to be downright chilly. Carol was beginning to think he wasn't going to return at all. Shane had pushed him too far. But that couldn't be right. He wouldn't leave without his gear and his motorcycle. Unless something had happened to him in the woods. She felt her anger boil to the surface again as she fiddled with her knife. This had been a stupid idea. Just as she decided to give up her watch she saw him step out of the trees.

"What the hell are you doing out here by yourself?" He barked.

Carol stood and sheathed her knife before answering him, "waiting for you."

"You shouldn't be out here alone." His tone was a little less gruff this time.

"I'm fine, Daryl. All in one piece as you can see."

Carol watched as he leaned his crossbow against a tree and fished a knife out of his pack. He sat down on a stump and grabbed for the raccoon first. He made quick work of the animal before moving on to the squirrels.

"You should get back to the house. Don't need the others worrying about you," he mumbled as he worked on the squirrels.

"And what about you?" She asked, a little defiantly.

"Ain't no one up there gonna be worryin' about me."

Carol shook her head, but stood her ground. "You're every bit as good as them, you know."

Daryl didn't even dignify that with a response. He kept at his task, methodically skinning and gutting his kills. She was beginning to try the limits of his patience. He needed her to go back to the house so he could get his things and leave.

He'd put all but two squirrels-worth of meat in a large bucket with a lid for Carol and handed it to her. "Should be enough for a couple days at least. It's cool enough it'll keep for tonight, but you'll wanna cook it up in the morning before it gets hot."

She took the bucket, but set it on the ground. "You can't leave."

Her response startled him. How could she know what he was planning to do "Who said anything about leavin'?"

"You held back meat," she observed. "However reluctantly, you usually eat with the group. And you usually skin your kills down by camp and I've never seen you hold back meat before. Shane said that…_shit_ to you this afternoon and you took off into the woods for hours. I would say with some certainty that that all adds up to you planning to leave. And you can't."

This was what he'd been trying to avoid. He figured the tears were well on their way, but he was surprised to find that when he looked up she wasn't crying, but she did look pissed.

"I can do whatever I fuckin' want. Nothin's holdin' me here. My brother's gone. Ain't no one in this group wants me here. Ya'll sure as hell don't need me to go huntin' with all the livestock Hershel's got. I told ya before I was only here 'cause my other plans fell through. 'Bout time I go make some other plans." He nudged the bucket toward Carol with his boot and turned to start packing his things.

"I need you to stay," she blurted before she could get a handle on herself. She refused to cry, but apparently her heart wasn't going to give him up that easily.

Daryl looked up at her again, still expecting tears, but still not finding any. When he finally met her gaze he was surprised at what he found. She looked sad and angry, but she also looked disappointed. "You don't need me, " he argued. "What you need is to watch out for the little one 'a yours. Don't be lettin' her run off with Carl. Kid don't listen to his mama and he's bound to get Sophia into some kinda mess they can't get out of."

She wanted to smile at that. She really did. He cared. But in that moment she was torn between making him realize why he should stay and just letting him leave. Without much thought she reached out to grab his arm as he turned away. She should have known it was a bad idea. He didn't like to be touched. But she hadn't been thinking about that.

Daryl wrenched his arm out of her grip, more out of surprise than anything else. The only other time she'd dared to touch him was after he'd brought Sophia back. He was so unaccustomed to contact that didn't bring pain that even the slightest touch was enough to make him flinch. "Sorry…I—"

Carol shook her head, "it's okay. I know better than that…"

They stood there for a moment in a sort of stalemate. Daryl stared at his boots while Carol watched him.

"Whatever Shane said—"

"Don't," he interrupted.

"Don't what?" Her irritation was beginning to show through. "Don't tell you that you that Shane was wrong so that you won't have to deal with whatever feelings that might dredge up?"

Daryl looked up briefly, but as soon as he met her eyes he dropped his head again. Her gaze was the same cool, calm look he'd come to know and expect of her in the weeks since Ed's death and Sophia's return. No longer was she teary eyed and terrified most of the time. While he was glad she'd learned to stand up for herself and that she'd quit spending most of her time crying or on the verge, he wasn't necessarily sure what to make of the new and improved Carol. She'd said Shane was wrong. Wrong about what? Not making the same mistake twice? Not wanting a man like him? He didn't have a clue, but he wasn't about to go asking her.

"You should get back to the house before the others get worried." He repeated his earlier sentiment.

Carol nodded, but before she turned to leave she stepped forward into Daryl's space. She reached up and stroked his cheek gently and was surprised when he didn't flinch or flee. She decided then that it was now or never. "I'm only going to say this once," she said quietly, but decisively. "I don't need you to stay. What I said before…you're a valuable member of this group. I was grasping at anything I thought might make you stay. But I don't _need_ you. Not really. But, for what it's worth, whatever it means to you… I _want_ you to stay. I could try to convince you. I could tell you what the sacrifices you've made mean to me, to this group. I could tell you what it means to me that you brought Sophia back. But that's all it would be, me _telling_ you those things when you need to see them for yourself. And for the record, my reasons for wanting you to stay are purely selfish. I don't much care if you realize how valuable you are if that's not something that's important to you."

She stepped away from a bewildered Daryl and picked up the bucket of meat he'd provided. She made it about five steps before she heard his footsteps behind her.

"Okay. I'll stay." His voice was thick with something. Emotion? Fear? He didn't know. Didn't care.

"Good." Carol didn't even turn around. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing the look of relief that had washed over her. She set off toward the house again, but only took a few more steps before Daryl spoke again.

"Stay?" He asked hesitantly.

Carol came to a sudden halt, which nearly caused Daryl to crash into her. She turned to face him, but didn't say anything. She wanted to ask him to repeat the question. She wanted to make sure that this was what he wanted. It came as no surprise to her that deep down inside a little piece of her believed all those things that Ed said to her for so many years. The look of worry on his face with each passing second was doing nothing to help her confidence.

Daryl shook his head and took a step back. "Never mind," he mumbled before turning to walk away.

"Daryl, wait." She reached out grabbed for his arm.

"It's fine. You ain't gotta—"

"That's not it," she interrupted. "I'll stay."

Daryl started to say something else, but she interrupted him before he could get anything out.

"I want to stay. I just…are you sure you want me to?"

He nodded almost imperceptibly, "yeah."

Carol let go of his arm and followed him back up to his camp. She waited while he methodically unloaded his crossbow and put away his various hunting implements. For a moment it seemed as though he'd forgotten she was there until he unzipped the rain fly on his tent.

"Tent's warmer than sittin' out here." He offered as he held the flap open for her.

Carol nodded and stepped in. Daryl followed after and zipped and buttoned down the rain fly and tent opening. It wasn't walker-proof, but it was as safe as he could make it. He flicked on his lantern and watched for a moment as Carol sat sort of awkwardly off to the side.

"You know you'd be safer and warmer if you just moved into the house with the rest of us." She knew the attempt to get him to move in was mostly useless, but she tried anyway.

Daryl shrugged, "too many people around. And too much arguing and drama. S'quieter out here."

"Well, with everyone else in the house now you could at least move closer."

"Maybe," he answered noncommittally.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Each studied the other. He'd asked her to stay, but he wasn't really sure what to do now. He knew what he _wanted_ to do, but he didn't really think that was an option. She might have stayed, but that still didn't mean Shane was entirely wrong.

"Why'd you take off this afternoon?" She knew the answer, but she wanted to hear him say it.

He shrugged, "sick of Shane's shit, I guess. Guy's too fuckin' chatty. Thinks he's gotta get in everyone's business."

Carol nodded. It was an explanation of sorts, but not quite what she was hoping to hear. Then again she didn't really expect him to come out and tell her why he'd really left.

"He was wrong, you know." She caught his gaze and held it. His eyes were clouded with confusion and fear; two things she'd never really seen in him before. He was always so calm and confident she wasn't even sure he was capable of being afraid.

"Ya keep sayin' that," he nearly whispered.

It wasn't an outright refusal to talk about what had happened. Carol would take what she could get. "Because it's true."

"Couldn't 'a been entirely wrong. Doubt you'd run off with the likes of Ed again," he mumbled.

"Maybe not entirely wrong," she agreed. "But definitely wrong about the rest. You're nothing like Ed, Daryl. You're exactly the kind of man—" She was cut off by a loud crack of thunder and the sound of the skies opening up. Perfect. Of course it would start raining and effectively trap her in the tent with a man who didn't do well with being cornered. She sighed audibly.

"Ya okay?" He asked, concern washing over his features.

"Yeah, just don't much like storms." It was definitely the truth, though not necessarily what was really bothering her in that moment. She was pretty sure Daryl wasn't going to be very excited at the prospect of an overnight guest and she had no desire to run through the rain to the house. It was a lose-lose situation. Better to get it over with now. "Maybe we should call it a night."

Daryl nodded and cleared his throat. He didn't want her to leave and the storm provided the perfect opportunity to ask her to stay. For lack of a better way to ask he blurted his thoughts so quickly it almost came out as one word, "Rainin' too hard to make it to the house so you should probably just stay put for the night." He took a deep steadying breath, "If ya want to, I mean. We could wait 'til the rain—"

"Okay," she agreed quietly. Suddenly her heart was thundering in her chest. If the rain stopped he'd certainly be able to hear her pounding heart. She wanted nothing more than to stay with him, but now that it was actually a reality she wasn't sure what to do. Her new confidence only went so far.

Daryl felt like he was going to puke. He'd asked her to stay. And she'd agreed. Now what the hell was he supposed to do? He stayed frozen in place, his gaze fixed firmly on the tent floor in front of him. He nearly jumped through the roof of the tent when another crack of thunder ripped through the deafening silence in the tent.

"Daryl, you don't have to do this. As soon as the rain lets up I'll—"

"No," he ground out. "Ain't safe to be wanderin' around in the rain…and I-I want you to stay." The confession came out as a gruff whisper that could barely be heard over the rain. He was terrified he would screw this up and he was pretty sure she could see him trembling from across the tent.

She'd tried to help him, to give him an out. But he'd refused to take it. Carol could feel the tension radiating off of him. When he would glance up she could see the uncertainty in his face. She knew that feeling all too well. She couldn't let him succumb to it or he'd certainly flee. She felt like she'd waited her entire life for Daryl, gone through hell to find him, and now he was on the brink of fleeing because he didn't know how to handle his feelings.

He watched as Carol carefully moved closer to him. He knew it was for his benefit that she was inching toward him like she was. He wished he could be the smooth talking, confident man that women liked. The one that Carol deserved. It took everything he had not to flinch when she finally reached out to him. It occurred to him that he wasn't afraid of her touch; in fact he craved it. Instead he was terrified that he'd let her in and she'd figure out what a mistake any kind of life with him would be. He'd spent his whole life pushing people away, refusing to let anyone get close, because he didn't want to feel the pain of that kind of loss again. Despite all of that, he found himself inexplicably drawn to Carol even though he knew she deserved better.

Carol reached out and touched his hand. His gaze immediately jumped from the floor to her hand. It felt like his skin was on fire. Much to the surprise of both of them he reached out with his own hand and covered hers. His fingers gently trailed over hers and up her arm. The corner of his mouth lifted and in an almost-smile as the skin on her arm broke out into goose bumps. It amazed him that he could have that effect on her body. Finally he looked up to see her smiling at him and he had all he could do to keep from grinning like an idiot.

Daryl was so engrossed in whatever was going on between the two of them that he nearly jumped out of his skin when the thunder rolled again. He shook his head and chuckled to himself. If Merle could see him now he'd likely smack him upside the head and tell him to quit being such a pussy. He looked up at Carol again just in time to see her yawn.

"Guess we should get some sleep," he sighed.

Carol nodded, "Probably a good idea."

It took Daryl approximately three seconds to start panicking. He could have sworn he'd brought grabbed Merle's pack from the RV when they'd set up camp at the Greene's. He peered around Carol to the corner of the tent where he'd previously stored Merle's stuff and groaned aloud when it wasn't there.

"Everything alright?" She asked.

"I uh…thought I brought Merle's pack in from the RV, but I guess I didn't."

A look of confusion crossed Carol's face. What did it matter where Merle's things were?

"Only got my stuff. Don't have a sleeping bag or anything," he elaborated.

"Oh."

"Guess we could wait a little bit and see if the rain lets up and I can run to the RV and get it," he looked up at her sheepishly.

Carol shook her head. "You already said it was too dangerous to do that and besides if we're gonna be runnin' around in the rain we may as well just go up to the house."

She made a good point, but Daryl had no desire to step foot into that house. He was pretty certain that if he had to see Shane's smug smirk one more time he might just wipe it off his face permanently. "Fine," he agreed. "Switch me spots."

"Why?" She asked, confusion clear on her face.

"'Cause ya ain't sleepin' on the ground. That's why. Now switch."

"I'm not making you sleep on the ground. Besides, you'll freeze. Why don't we just go up to the house? Or we could stay in the RV," she offered.

Daryl shook his head emphatically. She understood why he didn't want to go up to the house. She was pretty sure that if he so much as caught sight of Shane he'd finish what he started earlier. "Fine then we can share."

"Uhhh…" Daryl was dumbstruck. Was she actually suggesting that they essentially share a bed? There was no way he'd make it out of that situation with his dignity intact.

Any glimmer of hope Carol had for something blossoming between her and Daryl was all but dashed. She'd put herself out there and he'd flat out rejected her. She supposed it was better to get it out of the way now and not waste time and energy on feelings that would never be reciprocated. That didn't mean it didn't sting a little.

She nodded. She'd do what he wanted for now and slip out of the tent once the rain had died down and Daryl was asleep. "Okay. Let's just get some sleep," she replied a little snappishly.

It wasn't often that Daryl knew exactly where he'd gone wrong with a woman. They tended to be complicated and get all wound up over the littlest things. Carol wasn't at all like that. And he knew that his bumbling response to her suggestion that they just share the bedding was the reason for her current mood. The problem now was that he didn't know how to fix it. He silently cursed himself as he grabbed the extra pillow he'd swiped from Merle's pack and swapped spots with Carol before making himself as comfortable as he was going to get sleeping less than a foot from the first woman he'd ever _wanted_ to wake up next to.

Once she was settled he reached up and switched off his lantern. He listened for her breaths to even out, but he couldn't hear anything over the rain. He knew he wouldn't sleep until she did and it was bound to be a long night if he couldn't even tell when that would happen. He tossed and turned and mentally kicked himself for being such an idiot while he waited.

Carol lay there in the dark waiting for Daryl to fall asleep. She could feel him moving around beside her as he struggled to get comfortable. Apparently sleeping on the cold hard ground was better than sleeping next to her. She wasn't surprised. Not really. Ed was bound to be right about something eventually. The whole experience made her wonder what he'd really gone off on Shane about. The thunder rolled again and she shivered as she struggled to stay warm despite being buried in Daryl's nest of blankets. She willed him to fall asleep so she could get inside and get some sleep. Shane had been right about one thing. She wouldn't allow any man to make a fool of her again.

Great. Now she was shivering and he didn't even know what to do about it. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He knew what to do about it, but he was fairly certain she didn't want anything to do with him right about now. He couldn't really blame her. He groaned inwardly as he remembered the feel of her soft skin under his hands. He couldn't let himself screw this up. He went back and forth with himself about what to do. One voice in his head telling him to go for it. What was the worst that could happen? The other voice reminding him that he wasn't any better than Ed and he may as well just leave her be, because surely Shane would turn out to be right about this one.

Ultimately his desire to know the feel of her body against his won out. He grabbed his pillow and the one blanket he'd grabbed for himself out of his nest and crawled under the pile of blankets with Carol. Though a sleeping bag was probably the better choice in terms of portability Daryl hated feeling confined like that. And in this case that fear of being trapped worked to his advantage, or so he thought. As soon as he slid in next to Carol she moved as close to the tent wall as she could without sliding out from under the covers. Daryl sighed. Of course it couldn't be that easy.

She'd moved to give him space, but she immediately regretted it. Though she knew she'd regret knowing how he felt pressed against her even more, she couldn't help but wonder anyway. She was glad he'd at least had enough sense to not freeze to death. As she let her mind wander she could have sworn she felt him inching closer. She decided it was just her exhausted mind playing tricks on her once again.

He'd tried going slowly. Partially so he wouldn't startle her and partially because he was still wildly unsure of himself. In the end his desires won out and he reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into him.

"Please don't shut me out," he whispered.

"You don't have to do this," she assured him.

He didn't know what to say so he hoped his actions would speak where his words failed him. He pulled her closer to him until her body melted into his and he wasn't sure where he ended and she began. He buried his face in her shoulder as he held onto her almost as if he were afraid she'd drift away from him if he didn't hold tight enough. He desperately wished he had the words to make it better, but he just didn't. He knew it would be okay when the tension eventually melted from her body.

Finally Carol let her body relax against his. She knew this was his way of saying what he couldn't say. The only problem now was that he wasn't entirely sure what it was he was trying to say. In that moment it didn't much matter what he was trying to say because he was holding her and it felt like coming home. She could feel goose bumps forming where his lips grazed the skin on her neck. She wasn't sure if it was intentional or not, but she knew it was a feeling she never wanted to forget.

Once she'd allowed him to hold her close he'd grown braver. He'd ghosted his lips over her skin and was nearly giddy at the reaction he'd elicited from her. She pressed back into him and he hadn't failed to notice the goose bumps that broke out over the skin he grazed. He felt her shiver slightly, though this time it seemed it was from pleasure rather than cold. He grew braver still and kissed her, his lips blazing a hot wet trail from her shoulder to her ear. She grabbed the hand he'd wrapped around her waist as she pressed further into him.

She thought she had to be dreaming. She was nearly certain she was. In what reality would Daryl Dixon be holding her against him and kissing her like that? She didn't want to break the spell, but it all seemed so real. She had to know if it was real. "Daryl," she choked out a whisper.

He froze against her. "Do you want me to stop?" He asked, desperately hoping she didn't want that.

"I need to see you." The fact that she needed to know it was real was implied and he loosened his grasp on her just enough so she could turn to face him.

Carol turned in his arms and immediately reached up to touch his face. She very much expected to wake up or have him vanish into thin air. Much to her delight neither of those things happened. She stroked the soft scruff on his cheek gently before trailing her fingers over his lips. He let his eyes fall shut as she studied him. Her touch soothed his frayed nerves. When she'd finally decided that he wasn't a dream or a figment of her imagination she tilted his face down a little and he opened his eyes again.

Without hesitation Daryl captured her lips gently. When she didn't respond he thought he'd made a mistake. But the truth was that she had been stunned into inaction. She couldn't believe she was sharing a tent with him—a bed with him—let alone that he was kissing her of his own free will. Just as he began to pull away she spurred herself into action and kissed him back for all she was worth.

Sweet, stolen kisses quickly turned into something more. His tongue traced her lower lip seeking access, which she quickly allowed. He was much gentler than she ever imagined he could be. He was a rough man, his body and soul hardened by a life even more difficult than her own. But when he kissed her that all seemed to melt away.

Her hands, which had fisted his shirt as soon as he'd kissed her, were now roaming freely over his chest and stomach. Finally her fingers found the hem of his shirt and she gently tugged it up before running her hands over his bare skin. She reveled in the feeling of his muscles contracting under her touch. She continued her exploration as his own hands did the same. She shivered and involuntarily pressed her body further into his as his calloused fingertips found bare skin.

Daryl groaned as she arched into him. He was desperately trying to keep himself in check, but he definitely couldn't hide the rapidly growing and rather uncomfortable problem down below if she kept rubbing against him like that. He pulled his mouth from hers and buried his face in her shoulder as he tried to put a little space between them. That plan quickly turned out to be a mistake. She was intoxicating and he soon found himself kissing the exposed skin of her neck and shoulder and pulling at the collar of her shirt to expose more skin. She sighed contentedly underneath him.

"We can—"

"Don't you dare stop," she whispered breathlessly as her fingertips grazed the sensitive skin of his stomach just above the waist of his jeans.

He sucked in a breath as she teased him. This woman was going to be the death of him. But at least he'd die happy. Without warning her hand slid down further and cupped him through his jeans. Daryl bucked into her hand involuntarily, but quickly moved to pull her hand away.

"S-slow," he panted. "I need slower."

Carol took his hand and squeezed it in understanding before guiding him to her hip. She left him to his own devices and moved tug at the hem of his shirt once more. Much to her surprise and delight he quickly fisted the shirt in one hand and pulled it off. He laid his hand back on her hip but immediately slid it back up her shirt, splaying his fingers over her stomach. After what seemed like an eternity to Carol he finally slid his hand up the rest of the way and tentatively cupped her breast. She moaned softly into his ear and that seemed to spur him along because all of a sudden he was tugging at her shirt as she struggled to sit up enough to let him pull it off. She shivered as soon as her skin was exposed to the cold air.

"Shit, sorry." Daryl mumbled as he moved to pull the blankets back over them.

Carol pulled him back down to her and chuckled softly as the heat radiating off of his body warmed her almost instantly. As soon as he'd made himself comfortable again his mouth immediately returned to her skin. He blazed a trail from her neck down her chest as he reached beneath her to unclasp her bra. As soon as she was free his mouth went to one breast while his hand went to the other. Her hands fisted in his hair as she gently guided him back up. If he kept this up there was no way she'd be able to keep quiet so she pulled him up gently so she could kiss him once more.

Daryl quickly took the hint and kissed her hard, effectively swallowing her moan. His hand moved from her breast to the waist of her jeans where he fumbled with the button. Once he'd bested the button he pulled away briefly. He was about to ask if she was sure this was what she wanted, but she didn't give him the chance. Instead she pressed her lips to his and guided his hand into her jeans. He wasted no time in taking over from there.

His fingers slipped under her panties and he stroked her tentatively letting the mewling noises she was making guide him. Despite having lost enough weight that her pants were loose it was obvious that this situation wasn't going to work for long and he pulled his hand away to push her jeans and panties off of her hips. She quickly wriggled out of the cumbersome clothing and pulled him to her once again. His fingers brushed over her clit just right and her body was wracked with a shudder. Having found what he was looking for her repeated the motion alternating between that and dipping his fingers inside of her.

He'd been so distracted by her body's reaction to him that he hadn't really noticed that she'd made quick work of his pants until he felt her hand close around him. Daryl quickly shucked his jeans and boxers and returned to his place at her side. His hands went back to work, but Carol quickly brushed them away. Instead she guided his hand to wrap around his dick and directed him to use the head to finish her off. He quickly caught her drift and brought her to the edge, leaving her gasping for breath as she bit down on his shoulder to stifle her moans.

As she'd come down from her high Carol had settled into him in such a way that just the head of his cock had slipped into her. He groaned in ecstasy as her muscles clamped down on him rhythmically. When she finally broke free from the fog of pleasure she dropped her head to his chest and began to kiss him. Her mouth worked over his chest, flicking one flat nipple with her tongue before sliding up his body and nipping and soothing the skin of his neck. Finally she reached down to grab his ass and pull him into her fully. With her implied permission he hoisted his body over hers without breaking contact. She reached between them and guided him the rest of the way, sighing in pleasure as he buried himself to the hilt.

Daryl's breathing was labored and he was trying desperately to hold himself together. He'd had an idea about how good she'd feel, but this was nothing compared to what he thought it'd be. He was out of his mind with bliss and he was fairly certain his eyes had rolled back into his head. His arms burned and shook with the effort of holding himself still. He was trying to keep himself in check and let her adjust, but clearly Carol had had other ideas.

She desperately needed him to move. He whole body tingled in anticipation of what it would feel like for him to pull out and slam back home. His self-control took a serious hit as she moved her body against hers in an effort to get him to move. Finally he gave in and pulled out just a little before sliding back home. It didn't take him long to realize that that too, was going to be too slow for Carol.

"Harder," she panted against his ear.

That was all it took to completely undo a lifetime of practiced self-control. He slammed into as he covered her mouth with his and swallowed her strangled cry of euphoria. She quickly wrapped her legs around his waist and urged him on. It wasn't long before he felt her start to contract around him again. He tried to pull away…tried to explain.

"Carol…I'm gonna—"

She cut him off with a searing kiss. The kind of kiss that would have knocked him on his ass if he weren't already firmly planted on the ground. The kind of kiss that made him forget altogether what it was he was going to tell her. He didn't forget for long what it was though. His whole body jerked as he came with her.

When their bodies finally settled he buried his face in her shoulder and gasped for breath. His arms were nearly ready to give out when she ran her hands up his back to his shoulder blades and pulled gently.

"I'll crush you," he rasped.

"Can't think of a better way to go," she chuckled.

Daryl gave in and let his body fall to hers before rolling quickly to the side and pulling her to him. He wrapped his arms around her body and trapped her against him as he waited for their breathing to even out. Too soon for his liking Carol began to shiver against him. As the sweat dried on his body he began to shiver too. With a sigh he released her so she could redress and he did the same.

When she was finished Carol sat with her knees pulled to her chest waiting for the fallout. This was Daryl after all and he was bound to have a negative reaction once it dawned on him what they'd done. She wouldn't regret it though. She refused to. It killed her to think that she'd never know his touch again, but she decided it was better to know one night with him than to never have the experience.

Once he'd pulled his clothes on Daryl flopped onto his back and reached out for her. When he didn't find Carol lying next to him he sat up a little. What he found made his heart skip a beat. She was sitting with her knees pulled to her chest, focused on something he couldn't see. It occurred to him that maybe she regretted it, but that did little to stop what he did next.

Daryl sat up fully and scooted forward to sit behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled gently until she was sitting in his lap. When she let her body relax and melt into him he breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's the matter?" He whispered before kissing the spot just behind her ear.

"Nothing," she smiled as she let her head loll back against his shoulder.

"Then what're ya doin' sittin' up over here?" He let his forehead fall against the side of her face where he kissed her temple.

"Figured you'd want your space," she shrugged. The affection he was showing her was unprecedented. Clearly he didn't regret what they'd done, but now she was left trying to figure out this new side of him. She knew that outside the confines of the tent he was likely to be much more aloof, but for now she would bask in his attention.

"Mmmm," he hummed softly against her skin. "Don't ever think I don't want you around," he whispered raggedly.

The pain in his voice cut her to the core. She reached up and cupped his cheek. She ran her fingers through the soft scruff she found there and pulled his face to rest against her head once more. She wanted nothing more than to take away all of his pain. But no one could do that for another person no matter how much they wanted to. Instead she turned in his lap and hugged him to her. She looked up and caught his icy gaze. She saw the pain and uncertainty her actions had caused, unintentional though it was. She reached up once more and pulled his face down so she could kiss him.

When they separated this time it was only because of a need for oxygen. Carol let her head rest against his shoulder as she caught her breath. The thunder still rolled in the distance, but the constant patter of raindrops on the tent was quickly lulling her to sleep. Or maybe it was the man holding her. She didn't know. Didn't care.

"We should get some sleep," he yawned as he fought to stay awake.

Carol readily agreed and crawled out of his lap and under the blankets. It didn't take long for Daryl to join her and wrap himself protectively around her body. And that was how they woke the next morning, bodies and lives tangled together in a knot that neither sought to unwind.


	7. Take Your Pick

**A three-parter! When I originally wrote this (before I edited it into oblivion) it was bordering on 12,000 words. Waaaay too much for one chapter. But I liked where my beta cut me off, so I left it. Anyway, I can't be held responsible for the content of this chapter. I wrote and edited it under the influence of Ny-Quil ™. Here goes nothing! **

**Read and review. I love hearing what you guys think!**

* * *

Daryl was bored. Being on watch was mind-numbingly, soul-crushingly boring. The Governor had been taken care of months ago. No new threats had popped up as of yet. Unfortunately that didn't mean they could slack off on watch, and Rick still didn't trust most of the Woodbury group to take on the task. That left the original prison group, Tyreese and Sasha, and a select few from Woodbury that Rick and Daryl had grown to trust. Luckily there were enough people in the rotation that he usually only ended up on night watch about every two weeks.

He'd become accustomed to the afternoon and evening shift, preferring to hunt in the early morning. He was quickly finding that this shift was no more entertaining than the shifts he normally took. He still found himself staring at the blank horizon wishing he could be anywhere other than the watchtower. He huffed a breath and hoisted his feet up on the control panel, which had long ago been rendered useless.

After awhile Daryl turned his attention to his to the yard where a group had gathered in the garden to collect that day's harvest. He watched as a group of Woodbury women stood around at the edge of the field. Off to his left Carol, Maggie, and Beth collected armfuls of vegetables under Hershel's direction. Once the plants had been picked clean both groups made their way back into the prison, though he could see that Carol and company were not at all pleased.

Daryl turned his attention back to the horizon and watched as angry clouds began to roll in. It was obvious that he wasn't going to get any hunting in today. He grumbled to himself as he grabbed a rag out of his pocket and began wiping down his crossbow. He sighed as the skies opened up and the calming pattering of rain turned into a deluge. The sound of the rain drowned out the sound of footsteps on the stairs leading up to the watchtower so he was caught momentarily off-guard when the door swung open and Rick stepped in.

Rick wiped the rain from his face as he addressed Daryl, "It keeps up like this we might think about collectin' two of everything and findin' a boat."

Daryl smirked at the comment. "Everything okay out there?"

"Yeah," Rick replied. "Just came up to see if you'd be okay keepin' on the afternoon shift. Tyreese is helpin' Beth and Carol get the stuff from the run put away."

That got Daryl's attention. "Told 'em I'd help with that this afternoon."

Rick shrugged. "Rain forced everyone inside. Guess they wanted to get it done sooner rather than later."

Daryl nodded. He didn't like the idea of Tyreese hovering around Carol, but he didn't have any claim on her so it wasn't like he could say anything about it. "Yeah s'fine. Who's up for evening watch?"

"Glenn this evening. Carol overnight, I think."

Daryl turned his attention back to his crossbow. "Hopefully it clears up before tonight. Sucks sittin' out here in the rain at night. Can't see shit."

Rick nodded in agreement.

Daryl watched Rick out of the corner of his eye. The former sheriff leaned heavily against the wall as he watched the empty field below them. He could almost see the weight of world on his friend's shoulders. Finally Rick pushed away from the wall and turned toward the door. "Thanks," he scrubbed his hands over his face before disappearing out the door and down the stairs again.

Daryl was, once again, left alone in the tower with his thoughts. He really didn't like the idea of Tyreese helping Carol. He'd told her he'd help her this afternoon, why couldn't she have just waited? He set his crossbow down within reach and returned his attention to the field and watched as the walkers wandered about even more aimlessly than usual. The rain seemed to confuse them, which at least made them slightly more entertaining to watch.

The rain refused to let up and the sound was beginning to make him sleepy. He stood abruptly and walked the length of the room, forcing himself to wake up. He was headed out the door to let the cool rain wake him up when he nearly plowed into Beth.

"Sorry," he muttered as he stepped back and let her in out of the rain.

She lifted the hood on her eight-sizes-too-big raincoat and smiled at him, "it's okay." She handed him a bag with his lunch in it. "Carol made it," she assured him.

He looked up at his visitor, "where is she?"

Beth dropped her gaze then. "She's, uh, she's helping with lunch."

Because of the rain Daryl couldn't get a good read on what time it was. He wasn't sure if it was still lunchtime or not, but he could tell Beth was nervous about something. "Never stopped her from bringin' my lunch before."

"It was pretty busy in there. You know, with the rain and all," she tried.

"Can't be any busier than usual," he said between bites, "ain't like we magically got more mouths ta feed 'cause it's rainin.'"

"I guess not, she just asked me to do it."

"You sure nothin' else is goin' on?" He thought he might lose it if Beth told him Carol ditched him to eat lunch with Tyreese. She always brought him his meals when he was on watch. Usually she brought her meal too and they ate in companionable silence. Despite her role in the group, Carol needed the peace and quiet almost as much as Daryl did.

Beth sighed heavily, "if I tell you something you have to promise not to tell Carol."

Daryl's heart began to pound wildly. He knew Beth was going to tell him that Carol had taken up with Tyreese. So he was mildly relieved at the next words that came out of Beth's mouth.

"Some of the Woodbury women have been kind of mean to her," Beth admitted quietly.

That was it? Some women were being mean to her? She wasn't shacking up with Tyreese? Relief washed over him until he realized he didn't actually know what that had to do with Beth brining him lunch instead of Carol.

"What do ya mean they're bein' mean to her?" He asked cautiously.

"Look, I shouldn't have even said anything. Carol would kill me if she knew. I better head back down and help her get things cleaned up." Beth said quickly before high-tailing it out the door.

Daryl paced the tower for the rest of his shift. Time seemed to drag even more slowly than usual as he waited for Glenn to get his ass up there. When the rain let up he paced the deck around the tower. Finally, what seemed like days later, Glenn started across the yard. When the other man finally made his way up the stairs Daryl nearly knocked him over trying to get down them.

"Whoa, man. Hold up." Glenn yelled after him.

Daryl stopped and turned to face him, an expectant look on his face.

"Anything goin' on?"

"Nah, nothin' goin' on. Walkers are confused as shit by the rain. Give ya somethin' ta watch anyway." He turned and headed down the stairs again.

Glenn watched as Daryl all but ran back to the prison. He wondered what had gotten into the other man, but he definitely wasn't about to go asking.

* * *

The rain had slowed to a drizzle, so Daryl managed to make it back to the prison without getting soaked. When he got to the door he found one of the Woodbury women standing under the alcove. He ignored her and started to open the door, but he was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"Where ya headed, Handsome?"

Daryl shook off the woman's hand and mumbled something about going inside.

Unwilling to take a hint she reached out for him again, "why go inside when you could stay out here with me?"

Daryl jerked away from her this time and pulled the door open. "If ya need someone to keep watch over ya out here go get one of the other men. I ain't interested. Gotta go find Carol."

"Oh, I don't think she wants to be bothered," the woman tried. "She went up to her cell before we started with dinner. Said she didn't feel well. The offer to keep me company out here still stands."

"Told ya I ain't interested."

"I don't see why you spend all your time with her anyway. You could have your pick of any other woman here," the woman lamented.

Daryl didn't even bother to dignify that with a response. He now had an understanding of what Beth meant when she'd said the other women were being mean to Carol. If that woman was willing to say those things to him, he could only imagine what they were saying when they thought she wasn't listening. He stepped inside the building and made his way toward the stairs. He took the steps two at a time and strode to the end of the catwalk to the cell he shared with Carol.

He pushed the blanket in the doorway aside and stepped into the cell. He found Carol sitting in her bunk reading by lantern light. She very rarely used the lantern for reading, preferring to save the fuel.

"Everything okay?" He asked.

"Fine."

He took off his crossbow and set it in the corner before leaning back against the desk against the wall. "Ya sure you're okay? Ain't like you to skip dinner."

"I'm fine, Daryl," she sighed. "I'm just not feeling well and I needed a break."

Daryl's brow crinkled in confusion, "Would ya just tell me what's wrong? Ya don't take breaks and the last time ya got sick we damn near had to drag ya in here and tie ya down to get you to rest."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Fine. But ya gotta eat," he insisted.

"I'm fine, Daryl," she repeated.

He shook his head and walked out of the cell.

* * *

Daryl made his way down the steps into the cafeteria and got in line behind Rick. The two men talked about the watch schedule as they waited. The line moved quickly and Rick took his plate before stepping off to the side to wait for Daryl.

"Need two plates," he said to the girl serving dinner without looking up.

"Got yourself quite the appetite," she smiled. "Bet I could help you out with that later."

His head jerked up and he came face to face with the very same girl who'd held him up outside. Confusion crossed his features as he tried to figure out what in the hell this girl was doing. "Need one to take to Carol," he grumbled. "She ain't feelin' well."

"Oh! Don't you worry about her, Sugar. We'll make her up a plate and send someone to take it to her. You've been working hard all day, you should sit down and relax." She laid it on thick, hoping she could tame the wild hunter.

"Said I'd take it to her," he said again, this time loud enough to get Rick's attention.

"There are problem?" Rick asked. He'd watched the exchange with curiosity. Daryl rarely said anything to anyone outside of the original group.

Daryl suddenly realized that all eyes were on them. "Nah, man. Just need two plates. Gotta take one up to Carol."

Rick looked to the girl and back at Daryl, "She okay?"

Daryl nodded and took the two plates the girl reluctantly offered. He strode off toward the cells without another word.

Rick watched Daryl walk off, his curiosity piqued even further, before turning back to face the girl. "Julie, right?"

Julie nodded.

"Can I offer you a word of advice about Daryl?"

Julie nodded again, enthusiastically.

"It would be in your best interest to leave Daryl be. Especially where Carol is concerned," Rick warned.

* * *

When Daryl returned to their cell he found Carol exactly as he'd left her. She took the plate he offered and he stepped back to sit on the desk. They ate in silence as they usually did. But something was different. This wasn't the comfortable silence they'd grown used to. Each could feel the tension radiating off of the other.

Daryl finished his meal and watched as Carol did the same. When she was done Daryl took her plate and set it on the desk.

"Thanks," she said softly.

Daryl grunted a response and continued to watch her. He willed himself to think of something—anything—he could do to fix this. But the truth was he didn't really even know what he was trying to fix. He'd spent his entire life running from relationships for this very reason.

Carol marked her place in her book, kicked off her shoes, and situated herself in bed. "I'm gonna try and get some sleep before watch tonight."

Daryl nodded, "You want me to go?"

"You don't have to go."

He pulled out the desk chair and took his knife out of the sheath at his waist. He grabbed a rag and a whetstone out of his pack and took to cleaning and sharpening his knife and Carol's. He glanced at Carol every once in awhile to see her tossing and turning and trying to get comfortable as she willed herself to sleep.

"Ya sure you don't want me to go?" He asked quietly.

Carol sighed before turning on her side and sitting up to face him, "it's not you keeping me awake, " she admitted.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Beth told me what was going on," he admitted hesitantly.

Carol groaned.

"Nothin' specific, just that the other women were givin' you a hard time."

"It's fine."

"Ain't fine if you're upset."

"I'm not upset," she insisted.

"Coulda fooled me."

Carol was frustrated. He just didn't get it. And she didn't want him to because that would mean admitting her feelings for him. Despite all of that, it seemed she had no control over what came out of her mouth next. "What good will it do to talk about it, Daryl? What do you want me to say? It started with them saying I was taking lunch to you to get out of work. I could deal with that. I knew I was contributing more than my fair share in taking care of everyone. When that didn't faze me they moved on to saying there was something going on between us. Don't worry; I squashed that rumor before it could pick up any steam. And I started sending Beth up with your lunch because they were really pushing to take turns bringing you meals." Carol took a deep breath, "Beth came back after a couple of days and said you'd asked for me. She said it in front of the others. I don't know. Maybe she thought it would get them to back off. The talking stopped for a couple days. But today Julie asked about taking lunch up to you. I tried to explain that you preferred the routine and she seemed okay with it. As I was leaving to bring you lunch she pulled me aside and said that it wasn't fair that I was keeping you from being happy. You clearly have your pick of the women around here, but I stand in the way of that."

Carol's hand flew to her mouth as though she couldn't believe that she'd just said all of that. Daryl stood immediately and she was sure he was going to bolt.

"I told you I didn't want to talk about it," she breathed shakily as she willed herself not to cry. She absolutely would not cry. She bit down on her lower lip to suppress overwhelming desire to just let the tears go.

"Ain't no one standin' in the way of me bein' happy 'cept me," his voice was gravelly with emotion. He took the one small step necessary to get from the desk to the bed and sat down at her side.

Carol studied her hands as she thought about what she could say to pull herself out of the Grand Canyon-sized hole she'd just dug. She couldn't believe he was even still in the room. She was even more shocked when she felt his fingers ghost over her cheek. Or maybe she was hallucinating on top of everything else…

"Hey," he said softly, "look at me."

"I'm sorry," she sighed, "I know you don't—"

Before Carol could finish, the blanket over the doorway moved to the side and Julie poked her head in, "just came to get your plate so we could get 'em wash—"

"Get out," Daryl growled.

"But your dishes," she tried again.

"Ain't sayin' it again, lady. Get out."

Julie backed away from the door with her hands up. When she'd gone to get the dishes she'd intended to talk to Daryl alone; she hadn't expected Carol to be there. When she'd walked up to the cell she'd heard him comforting Carol and knew he must have taken her earlier advice and was trying to let her down easy. What she couldn't understand was what he was so angry about. She shrugged it off and headed back down the steps. Maybe she could catch him later once Carol was on watch.

Once the blanket dropped back into place Daryl turned his attention back to Carol. He stroked her cheek gently, wiping away the one stray tear that had escaped. She hadn't cried—hadn't even seemed close to crying—in so long. He was proud of how far she'd come. Even now, upset as she was, she refused to fall apart on him and be that weak woman he knew she despised. He couldn't fix the damage done by the Woodbury women, but he could fix the rest of it. He could fix the damage he'd done through his own inaction.

"Carol, I—"

"I really just want to get some sleep," she whispered.

"Yeah, okay. I'm just gonna, uh, run down and take a shower while they're free." He explained as he pulled away.

"You don't have to go."

"You'll be able to get to sleep better if I'm not in here keepin' you awake. I'll be back in a little bit. I'll come on watch with ya tonight… If that's okay."

"Okay," she yawned.

* * *

Daryl grabbed some clean clothes out of his pile and the toiletry bag Carol had snagged for him on a run. He made his way downstairs and back to the bathrooms. He liked showering shortly after dinner because the bathrooms were usually empty and he didn't have to worry about someone seeing him. He stepped into the shower stall and pulled the curtain closed before undressing and hanging his dirty clothes over the curtain rod.

He stood under the hot spray longer than he normally would have. He and Merle had once joked that the damn world had to end before they had hot water. He chuckled at the memory. He thought he'd died and gone to heaven the day they found out that the showers were fed by a natural hot spring. He quickly scrubbed at his hair and body before shutting off the water and drying himself off. He dressed and collected his clothes so he could head back to his cell. Maybe he could get a couple of hours of sleep in before he went out on watch with Carol.

Daryl opened the door and found Julie standing there. He rolled his eyes and tried to step around her but she reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Where ya runnin' off to?" She asked.

"Man, you just don't learn do ya?" He grumbled.

"Oh, come on, don't be that way." Julie whined.

She stepped further into his space, effectively pinning him against the wall. "Don't," Daryl growled. He wanted nothing more than to forcibly remove her from his space, but he wasn't his daddy and he wouldn't lay his hands on a woman. Not even if she was way too close for comfort.

Julie reached up to touch his face, but Daryl jerked away. "Hmmm, you are a wild one, aren't you? I bet you just need the right kind of woman to tame you."

Just as Daryl was about to respond he heard footsteps down the hall. He breathed a sigh of relief thinking that Julie would back off now that someone was coming. Unfortunately he misjudged her and she moved further into him instead. The footsteps continued to get louder and the person those footsteps belonged to rounded the corner and headed into the bathroom just as Julie tried to kiss him.

He'd finally had enough and he pulled her arms from around his neck and shoved her away from him. "Don't fuckin' touch me," he spat. "And quit fuckin' sayin' shit to Carol. Ya'll don't know the first fuckin' thing about me or what I _deserve_." With that he turned on his heel and stalked into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

"Carol!" He called out into the bathroom. "Carol!" He yelled again.

"A little louder, maybe? I don't think the people in D Block heard you."

Daryl skidded to a stop outside of the shower room. He could just barely hear her over the water and he sure as hell wasn't going in there while she was showering. "It weren't what it looked like," he tried.

"Really?" Carol chuckled dismissively. "'Cause it looked an awful lot like Julie had you pinned to a wall. But I could be imagining things. This place seems to have that effect on people."

"Wasn't doin' nothin.'" He was nearly pleading with her to understand.

"I could see that," Carol chuckled again, but her voice quickly turned serious. "She's right, you know? You don't have to be alone."

"Ain't interested," he grumbled.

"Not in me, Daryl," she sighed. "You have your pick of women around here. Any one of them—"

"Don't want my pick of the women 'round here," he interrupted. "…Just want you."

When she didn't respond Daryl was pretty sure he had his answer. "Carol?" He asked quietly. Still he got no answer. Instead of waiting around to face the humiliation of rejection he tucked tail and ran.

* * *

**Let me know what you think! Also keep in mind that I'm all about Caryl! Despite the fact that I try not to be so angsty it always seems to come out that way. I suppose I can relate to the "damaged" parts of both of these characters so that's why it comes out that way. Anyway, I always manage to get a happy ending eventually and this will be no different. So, next up, how do they each react to Daryl's little revelation?**


	8. Take Your Pick 2

**Part 2! If you haven't read the last chapter this one won't make any sense!**

**So I had a few questions about Julie. She's made up, at least as far as I know. I'm aware that Karen is often the aggressor where Daryl is concerned and while I enjoy reading the stories that people write about that, I just couldn't do it. Karen is not a character I particularly like, mostly because she seemed kind of snotty in the few scenes she was in. So in an attempt to keep an open mind about the character I don't write about her.**

**Also, how about that season premier!? I freaked out all day. Not as much Caryl as I would have liked, but something is better than nothing, right?**

* * *

Carol tried to respond, but it got stuck in her throat. She didn't even know how to respond. Though she knew how she'd _like_ to. If she had it her way she'd take him against the shower wall and be done with all the awkwardness. When she finally forced herself to say something she found that Daryl was no longer there. She knew she'd made a huge mistake in not responding to him, but she was so shocked she couldn't help it. She was almost certain she'd go back to their cell to find him gone and that nearly undid her. Knowing Daryl, he'd run straight for the woods and not look back. Carol wondered when or if she'd see him again. She shut off the water and dried as quickly as she could before dressing and fleeing back toward their cell in an effort to catch him before he took off for good.

* * *

Daryl stalked back to their cell. There was no doubt in his mind that he'd completely and utterly fucked up any chance he might have had with Carol. Who was he kidding anyway? It wasn't like he'd ever had a chance in the first place. She deserved a better man than him and she must have known it. She wasn't even pissed about what she'd seen in the hallway. That should have been his first clue, he supposed. He wanted to kick himself for even thinking he had a chance in the first place.

Once he made it to their cell he found his pack and started filling it with things he'd need for a few days in the woods. He found a couple packages of jerky and some energy bars he'd gotten on the last run and tossed them into the bag. He searched around for his stringer and buck knife and tossed those in too. After he'd filled his pack he grabbed his crossbow and the quiver Carol had made him before setting out. Daryl made it about four steps outside of the cell before he realized that running away would do absolutely no good. He'd sit out in the woods for a few days and stew and when he came back the problem would still be here. So maybe he was making some progress. He hadn't even had to get outside of the gates for this realization to settle over him.

Daryl set his crossbow back in the corner and tossed the pack next to it. He kicked off his boots and climbed up into his bunk. He could be a man and deal with this instead of running from it. He could. If he didn't panic.

* * *

Carol hurried as quickly through the prison as she could without arousing suspicion. She took the steps two at a time, but stopped at the top of to look out on the yard to see if she could spot Daryl. It wasn't quite dark, but it was misting, so she didn't have a clear view to the gate. Trying to spot Daryl in this weather was pointless. She huffed a sigh and walked down the catwalk to their cell. She pulled the curtain aside and looked around. She noticed his crossbow sitting in the corner next to a bag so she looked up to find him lying in his bunk glaring a hole in the ceiling. She stepped inside and set her lantern down on the desk so she could put her things away.

"You're still here," she observed.

"Yeah," he sighed.

"But you were going to leave," she said quietly.

"Thought about it."

"You did more than think about it, Daryl. Your bag is packed."

"I didn't leave," he tried.

"You didn't," she agreed.

Carol finished folding the clothes she'd pulled off the line the day before. She hadn't had time to do it earlier and now seemed as good a time as any. It certainly wasn't like she'd be getting any sleep before watch.

"You can take it back," she offered. "We can just forget it ever—"

"No," he interrupted. "Meant what I said. Ain't interested in any of 'em."

"I know. I meant the other part," she skirted around his admission hoping he'd take the hint and they could call it a done deal.

"I know what you meant."

They both fell silent again. Daryl continued to glare a hole through the ceiling while Carol finished the laundry. He wished he could function like a normal person. Or at least what passed as normal before the world went to shit. He'd never had problems with women before, though that likely had more to do with his tendency to take what he could get against a bar bathroom wall or the bed of his truck rather than his actual prowess. Unlike his older brother he wouldn't have minded eventually settling down, he just hadn't found the right woman until now. Unfortunately he'd found the right woman far too late. She deserved better than what he could give her and that tore him apart.

Carol hummed softly as she folded the laundry and straightened up the cell. She left Daryl's bag packed but hung it back up in the peg he'd gotten it from. She put away the clean clothes and straightened up her bunk. Despite the fact that Ed was long gone she still fell back into the habit of cleaning up when she was stressed. She'd come to accept that Daryl didn't want her and never would. And who could blame him? Who would want Ed Peltier's used up leftovers? She knew he was trying to protect her from the truth, but it almost hurt her more that he wouldn't just be honest with her. She gave him an out. Just like she always did. But he wouldn't take it.

She stopped what she was doing and leaned back against the desk. She scrubbed her hands over her face and rubbed at her temples as though she was trying to rub away a tension headache.

"Ya okay?" He asked.

Carol jumped a little, surprised that he'd even been paying attention. "Fine," she sighed.

"Ya want me to go?" His voice was measured, controlled; but she could hear a hint of something else despite his efforts.

"No, Daryl, of course not." She shook her head as she studied her shoes.

"Gotta go on watch in a couple hours, better get some sleep."

"That's probably a lost cause now," she chuckled. Despite the sentiment she turned off the lantern so Daryl could at least get some sleep.

"'S'okay if you don't feel the same, you know," he offered quietly. "I just… I wanted the others to leave you alone. Didn't want you to… I dunno…" He trailed off. He just wanted her to be happy.

Thoroughly annoyed at being unable to articulate himself, Daryl turned to face the wall and willed himself to sleep. He just wanted to forget about the day, get a couple hours of sleep, get the overnight watch shift over with, and get some quality hunting time in in the morning. Maybe a couple hours in what Carol jokingly referred to as his "natural habitat" would serve to soothe his frayed nerves. He felt the bunk shift as Carol settled into her bed. Once he heard her telltale soft snore he allowed himself to drift off.

Despite her certainty that she wouldn't be getting any sleep before watch, Carol fell asleep minutes after lying down. Exhaustion quickly overtook any anxiety she'd been feeling. The midnight watch shift came far too quickly. Carol woke with a start as Maggie gently shook her shoulder.

"It's quarter to twelve," she whispered.

"Thanks," Carol yawned as she sat up in bed.

She pulled on a sweater and her boots before grabbing her knife and jacket. She moved quickly and quietly, hoping to avoid waking Daryl. He'd said he wanted to come out on watch with her, but she could see how tired he was. She knew he hadn't been sleeping much lately because he'd switched overnight watch with some of the others recently. She nearly jumped through the ceiling when he silently dropped to the floor in front of her and began pulling on his boots.

"You should stay and get some sleep," she whispered.

"I can sleep when I'm dead," he shrugged.

"That's not funny," Carol chided.

"Who said I was jokin'?"

Carol rolled her eyes and waited as he finished tying his boots and pulling on his jacket. He grabbed a blanket, his pack, and his crossbow and pulled the blanket-door aside indicating that she should go ahead of him. Daryl followed her out of the prison and up to the guard tower. He watched as Glenn briefed Carol and handed off the rifle that was kept up there for watch. She walked the perimeter of the tower looking for any threats outside of the prison. Once she was done she went back into the tower and sat down in her usual spot.

Daryl sat down in the chair next to Carol's and stared out the window. It was a moonless night thanks to heavy cloud cover. Trying to watch out the window was almost like staring into a pot of ink and sitting outside really wasn't any better. No moonlight meant they could really only watch for threats that were carrying lights of their own.

"You don't have to stay out here, you know? You could go inside and get some sleep. With no moonlight there isn't much to watch and there's no point in both of us being tired." Carol tried to reason with him.

"Ain't gonna sleep anyway. Never do when you're on watch," Daryl admitted.

"You don't trust me to keep watch?"

"That ain't it, and you know it," he argued.

Carol nodded, though he couldn't really see it. She knew what he meant. She never slept well when Daryl was on watch either. The truth of it was that she'd grown accustomed to his presence and couldn't sleep without him. She particularly hated it when he went on days-long hunting trips.

"How long are you going to be gone?" She asked quietly.

"Huh?"

"You brought your pack and a blanket. I assume you're going hunting when I get off watch."

He hadn't really thought about how long he was going to be gone. He'd grabbed the blanket and pack out of habit more than necessity. "Hadn't really thought about it."

Carol sighed, "must be nice to be able to get out of here for a couple days."

The pair sat in companionable silence for a while. Each mulled over the events of the past few days. He knew Carol must be exhausted. While she had passed most of Judith's care onto Rick she was still the go-to problem solver as far as day-to-day issues with running the prison went. Rick was their leader, of that there was no doubt, but it was Carol who made things run smoothly. Despite all that was expected of her, she never complained about the responsibility. Daryl suspected that her role in the group gave her a sense of purpose, much like being the primary provider of meat did for him. Even if that was true, everyone needed a break.

"Come with me," he said suddenly.

"What?"

"Come with me. Ya ain't gotta hunt. Just come with."

"You know I can't do that," Carol sighed. She wanted nothing more than to take him up on his offer.

"Why?"

It was a simple question, but one with a lot of answers. "Who's going to run this place? Make sure everyone is fed? Make sure Judith is looked after? Make sure chores are done?"

"People know what to do by now. Beth can take care of meals and Judith," he reasoned.

"I can't thrust all that responsibility on Beth. Besides, she already complains that the Woodbury women don't listen to her. I can't Daryl. I'm needed here."

He should have known better. Should have known she'd come up with some excuse not to come with him. He was done trying. He'd told her how he felt and had even gone to far as to invite her with him. She'd made it perfectly clear she wasn't interested in any of it. He decided then that he was done with it. All of it. He'd finish this watch shift and disappear into the woods for a few days. Time in the woods had a way of clearing his mind and cleansing his soul. He would come back like he always did and keep silent sentinel over Carol like he always had. Nothing would change, and that knowledge produced an ache deep in his chest that he knew he'd always carry.

Carol tried to make small talk a few times, but her attempts were met with one-word answers, grunts, or silence. She wasn't entirely sure what had set him off, but his resistance was starting to irritate her. He'd insisted on accompanying her on watch despite her protests and now he wouldn't even talk to her. She kicked her feet up onto the desk in front of her and prepared herself for a long night. This silence wasn't their usual companionable silence. It was awkward and tense and she just wanted her Daryl back.

Her Daryl.

That was new. It was true though. Daryl was a totally different person when it was just the two of them. When they interacted with the group, even their original group, he tended to be very withdrawn. He rarely spoke to anyone outside of the original prison group. But when it was just the two of them he seemed to transform into the still shy, but witty and attentive man she knew him to be. It occurred to her then that something was wrong.

"You want to talk about what's bothering you?" She asked on a hunch.

"Nope."

He hadn't denied that something was wrong. That was a start, she supposed. "Daryl—"

"I'm fine," he insisted.

"Yes, because when you're fine you're short with me, you ignore me, and you sulk. You're definitely fine," she quipped.

"Ain't like it matters."

"Try me."

"No, thanks."

Why couldn't she just leave well enough alone? He was trying to give her what she obviously wanted and she just wouldn't leave him be.

"Why don't you go back up to the prison and get some sleep?" She suggested. Maybe his exhaustion was contributing to his petulant mood.

"Ain't leavin' ya out here by yourself. Already told ya as much," he argued.

"There's no point in both of us being out here. It's not like you can see any better than I can," she griped.

"You _want_ me to go?" He asked, his voice suddenly serious.

Carol didn't say anything. She sat in silence because she really didn't know if she wanted him to go or not. She felt empty when he wasn't around, but the attitude he had now gave her the impression that she was nothing more than a burden to him. She stood abruptly and made her way to the door.

"Where ya goin'?" He asked.

She stepped outside without answering him and paced the deck looking for non-existent threats in the fields surrounding the prison. It didn't take long for the chill in the air to seep in through her worn sweater. It was fall in Georgia, which meant it was unbearably hot during the day and downright cold at night. She rubbed at her arms as she walked. Carol quickly decided this was a stupid idea and cursed her inability to just deal with Daryl as he was. He'd always been prickly and she'd always waited him out. Why was tonight so different?

Daryl watched as she paced outside the window. He'd really fucked up this time. It had been a long time since she'd up and walked out on him without a word. He knew she was cold, and he knew it was his fault she was out there. He couldn't just swallow his pride and deal with the fact that she didn't want him. It was killing him.

After a few minutes he grabbed the blanket and stepped outside. He found Carol leaning on the railing watching the clouds roll through. "Here," he held the blanket out toward her.

"I'm fine," she lied through chattering teeth.

"Would you just take the damn blanket?"

"I said I'm fine. Just go back inside."

"What the fuck, Carol?"

She turned to look at him then. It had been an emotionally exhausting day and Daryl's antics certainly weren't helping anything. She'd had enough. "Just go. Go back to the prison. Go out and hunt. Go do whatever it is you want to do. I don't care. Just. Go." Her voice betrayed no emotion and she silently reveled in that. Daryl had a way of bringing out emotions in her that she'd rather not deal with.

A fortuitous break in the clouds allowed her to catch a glimpse of Daryl's face in the moonlight. She wished she hadn't. The look of pure agony that flickered over his features was enough to make her want to take it all back. It wasn't true anyway. None of it was. She didn't want him to go anywhere. She did care. She doubted any of that mattered now.

* * *

He'd finally done it. Finally pushed her past her limit. He'd made his bed and now he'd have to lie in it. She wanted him to go? Fine. When the person on morning watch came to relieve her he'd leave. Not long after they'd found the prison he'd found a cabin about a half-hour's walk away. He'd spent plenty of time there when he needed a break from the overcrowding before they'd cleared D Block.

"Yeah, okay." He sounded defeated. "Just…go inside so you don't freeze?"

She let her eyes slowly wander from his boots up his face. She finally met his icy, unyielding gaze. She expected him to look away like he always did, except he didn't. Instead Carol looked away, ashamed of the pain she'd caused him all because she couldn't give him the one thing he needed: patience. She nodded slowly but didn't move from her place on the deck.

Carol was all that stood between Daryl and the stairs. He had to force himself to walk forward, down the stairs, out of her life. As he stepped past her, Carol's hand shot out and grabbed for his wrist. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't…" She looked up at him and found him staring at her hand on his arm. He made no move to pull away and she was glad for it. The heat pouring off of his skin seared her fingers and warmed her frozen limbs.

She reached up with her other hand to stroke his face, but this time he flinched. Carol dropped her hand, but he reached for it and guided it back to its intended target. He rested her frozen fingers against his face and held them there. "I didn't mean it," she whispered. "You have to know I didn't mean it."

Daryl nodded against her hand. Carol stroked the soft scruff she found there. Her fingers traced unidentifiable patterns over his skin before finding his lips. Her face was inches from his and she realized that if she stepped up on her tiptoes just a little it could be her lips on his rather than her fingers. He was apparently of the same mind because he dipped his head away from her fingers and captured her lips gently. Her hand dropped to his chest and fisted his jacket to pull him closer as she kissed him back.

As quickly as it had begun, it was over. Daryl pulled away, breathless. He met her eyes briefly before looking away again. He started to pull away, but her grip on his arm tightened and she pulled him back to her. Satisfied that she did indeed want him to stay, he reached around her to open the door to the tower and nudged her inside. As soon as the door was closed he crowded her against it. He'd let her slip away once; he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. He kissed her again, but this kiss wasn't gentle like the first had been. His lips crashed against hers and a tiny moan escaped her at the contact.

Eventually he pulled away again, if only because he was lightheaded from lack of oxygen. Or maybe he was lightheaded because this woman was intoxicating. Either way his world was spinning wildly out of control in that moment. He moved his mouth to her neck and shoulder, nipping at her skin and soothing it with his lips and tongue. He had no idea what possessed him to kiss her. Maybe the thought that he might never have the chance again if he didn't take it now. He felt Carol shiver against him and pulled away to drape the blanket around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"Sun's almost up," he whispered.

She nodded against his chest. "How long are you going to be gone?" Her voice was tiny, but rough with exhaustion.

Daryl shrugged. "Couple 'a days?" He guessed.

She sighed and nestled her face into his neck, breathing in his scent. A couple of days without him. A couple of sleepless nights, for sure. For every step forward it seemed like they took two steps back and it was exhausting. It was making her say things she didn't mean. Things she couldn't afford to say to Daryl. Things like she'd said tonight. She was surprised he'd stayed. And saying she was surprised he'd kissed her would be the understatement of the century. But in less than an hour he'd be gone. For a couple of days. Maybe. And there was no telling which Daryl would return from this trip.

"Come with me." It wasn't a question this time. He needed out of the prison and he needed her with him. He could do this. He could try to be what she needed. What she deserved. He just needed time. And he needed Carol to see that she was who he wanted. Not the Woodbury women that he supposedly had his pick of. He didn't give a shit about them. Carol was all that mattered. Without a word about his past she'd known so much about him and she'd still accepted him.

"One night," he amended his earlier plans. "They can live without you for one night."

Before Carol could answer the tower door swung open and none other than Julie walked in. "Hey Carol! Sorry I'm late, first day—" She dropped the cheerful act as soon as she looked up to take in the sight before her.

Carol had forgotten that some of the Woodbury folks had been assigned to take day watch starting today. What's more was that she'd forgotten that Julie was slated to take first watch. She could feel Daryl tense and she moved to back away and give him some space. She knew he hated any sort of public display. Instead of pushing her away or letting her go he pulled her tighter to him, ignoring Julie for the moment.

"One night?" He asked softly.

Carol smiled and lifted a hand to stroke his cheek. Without a word, she pulled away and turned to Julie to brief her on what to do for day watch.

* * *

**I was inclined to let it end here. But a little (beta)birdie whispered in my ear (repeatedly and loudly) that it was cruel and unusual punishment to leave Daryl's question unanswered. And so, there will be a third installment to follow. If you all want it, that is.**


	9. Take Your Pic 3

**And without further ado, we find out the answer to Daryl's question. And you all have FinntheHuman1697 to thank for getting this before I go to work. She was so excited, and I was mildly concerned that she might hunt me down and string me up for cruel and unusual punishment. In short, she's awesome and her reviews always make me smile, so here you go!**

Carol was out of breath. Life in the prison, while not easy, did not keep her conditioned like life on the road had done. She'd gone soft. There was no other way to put it. When this was all said and done she fully intended to incorporate some cardio into her daily routine. It was absolutely ridiculous that a little running around had left her breathless and ready for a nap.

Much as she'd wanted to leave with Daryl for the day, her hopes had been dashed when they'd gone inside to get a couple hours of sleep before setting out. Carol had been inside the prison for no more than three seconds before a screaming Judith was placed in her arms. Evidently the little girl had been up all night thanks to a few new teeth making their presence known. Daryl's mood quickly soured as he realized that the others expected Carol to stay put and soothe the little girl. She shot him an apologetic look as she bounced the cranky infant.

There was no shortage of issues after that either. A run was needed. Judith needed teething tablets or _something_ to get her to stop screaming. An inventory of medical supplies revealed a too-low supply of wound care items and other commonly used items like ibuprofen and instant ice packs. With Daryl going off to hunt and Rick instructing the Woodbury folks on the procedures for watch, it fell on Carol to organize the group for the run and make a list.

She hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye as he left late that morning. He caught her attention and gave her a little wave before taking off. She wondered how long he would be gone now that she wasn't able to go with him. That thought quickly slipped from her mind as Judith shrieked once more.

* * *

She hadn't even had a chance to answer him. He understood why she hadn't said anything in front of Julie. She didn't want any more grief from the Woodbury women and he could appreciate that. But they'd barely stepped foot inside the building and already Rick was handing a pissed off Judith to her. He looked like he'd gotten about as much sleep as they had. He felt bad for his friend, but he was pissed that he was handing his kid off to Carol. Judith was his kid and he needed to deal with whatever the problem was.

He'd planned on falling into bed for a few hours, preferably next to Carol, before heading out to hunt. While she hadn't actually answered him, he was pretty sure she was leaning toward coming with him. He thought he might wait it out until she got Judith settled, but then Hershel came in with the bad news that they were out of teething tablets and a bunch of other medical shit. Of course Carol was the only one who could organize that run. He gave up on any chance to have a little time alone with her. So with a smirk and a wave to her he set out to hunt.

* * *

The day had been exhausting for both of them. No sleep meant he couldn't concentrate. He'd managed to bag a deer and it was late enough in the day and cool enough that he could have spent the night at the cabin, hunted a couple hours in the morning, and got the deer back to camp the next day without it spoiling. His body wanted nothing more than to execute that plan, but his heart had other ideas. He didn't want to spend the night away from Carol even if it meant he had to deal with a squalling baby.

He gutted the deer, tied it, hoisted it over his shoulder, and headed back to the prison. By the time he returned to the prison it was well past dark. He lugged the deer down to the tombs where it stayed refrigerator-cool year round. He hung the deer to dry and headed toward the showers to clean up.

Once he'd scrubbed the blood and dirt from his skin, Daryl made his way back up to their cell. He pushed the blanket aside and peeked inside. He was both surprised and relieved to see that he would not be sharing a cell with a baby tonight. He figured the run must have been successful in terms of teething supplies. He hung his pack and put his crossbow in the corner before stopping to study Carol. She was sprawled out on her bunk and completely lost to the pull of sleep.

Daryl got out pajama pants and a t-shirt before killing the lantern and changing clothes. He tossed his dirty clothes in the bin in the corner and squatted down to get a better look at Carol. He watched her for a moment before getting up to climb into his bunk. As he was about to move away Carol reached out and grabbed for his hand.

"Stay," she whispered. He could hear how tired she was.

"Ain't goin' nowhere. Go back to sleep." He said as he squeezed her hand.

"No, I meant—"

"I know what you meant." Despite that knowledge Daryl still hesitated. Not because he didn't want to sleep next to her, but because he worried she'd wake up in the morning and realize the mistake she'd made. She started to pull her hand out of his, but he wouldn't let go.

"You don't have to," she reassured him, "it's okay."

He gave her hand a squeeze and then surprised her by climbing into the bunk with her. It was barely big enough for the two of them to lie side by side. He hovered on the edge of the bunk while Carol pressed herself flat against the wall, each trying to give the other space to breathe.

Daryl blew out a shaky breath as he tried to force himself to relax. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Carol's fingers ghosted over his cheek. It didn't take long for him to relax into her touch, to realize he craved it. He reached up and covered her hand with his, intertwining their fingers. He pulled her hand down and held it against his chest and chuckled a little at his erratically beating heart.

"It's just me," Carol whispered.

Suddenly relieved of his irrational fear, Daryl captured her lips gently. Her grip on his hand tightened as the kiss intensified. Soon his tongue was tracing her bottom lip, seeking entrance. Carol willingly allowed him access and his tongue moved languidly against hers. Soon the hand that held hers to his chest moved to her hip, pulling her against him. He groaned at the contact and felt the heat of embarrassment rise into his cheeks as Carol undoubtedly felt his desire for her. His embarrassment was short-lived as Carol moved eagerly against him.

As suddenly as it began, it was over. Carol pulled away breathless and Daryl braced himself for the rejection. "What's 'a matter?" He asked reluctantly.

Carol sighed, "Julie is supposed to come get me when Jude wakes up."

Daryl ran a hand through his still-damp hair and groaned quietly. Why were Rick's kid and some woman who couldn't take a hint constantly foiling his plans? It didn't take long for him to come to the conclusion that he didn't much care what Julie walked in on. It was her damn fault he'd had to wait this long to begin with. Or maybe he had her to thank for spurring him into action. Either way he wasn't letting anything get in his way tonight.

He pulled away abruptly and Carol figured he'd been put off by the idea that someone would see them together. Instead he walked to the barred door, pulled it shut, and secured the makeshift lock he'd devised before pulling the curtain closed again and returning to the bunk. Without a word he crawled back into the space he'd vacated moments before and then moved over top of Carol. His mouth descended on hers once again and despite a shock-induced fog, her body responded immediately to his advances. She reached up and wound her fingers through his hair and held him in place to make sure he understood she wanted this, wanted him.

Daryl didn't have a clue what he was doing. He was more than a little surprised that he wasn't paralyzed with fear at this point. His hand bravely trailed down her flat stomach and searched for bare skin under her shirt. She shivered against his cold fingers, but reached down to hold his hand in place. He splayed his fingers over her stomach before reaching up to cup her breast. Carol arched up into his touch, which gave him a much-needed confidence boost.

Soon Carol's arms were wrapped around Daryl's waist, holding him in place before her hands stroked up and down his ribs rhythmically. She inched her fingers up his shirt slowly so as not to startle him. He shivered when her fingertips met bare skin. Once she was certain he was comfortable she inched his shirt up his torso and urged him to shuck it.

Daryl fisted the shirt and pulled it over his head. The darkness in the cell afforded him an assurance that she wouldn't be able to see his scars, though he knew she'd seen them before. He felt his body catch fire as she gently placed her hands against his skin and mapped out the planes of his chest and stomach with her fingertips. He leaned down to kiss her once more as his hands started their own slow exploration.

Despite the fact that he wanted to go slow and give her what she deserved Daryl was growing impatient and Carol could feel it. He wanted to know every inch of her, but the more he discovered, the more he needed her right then. She could feel him shaking above her, whether from the exertion of holding himself over her or from anticipation she wasn't sure. She reached for the hand exploring her body and guided it to the waistband of her pants.

Daryl quickly took the hint, but needed to move to adjust himself. While he moved into a more comfortable position, Carol rid herself of her tank top and took to exploring the sensitive skin at his waist. She traced a finger just below the waistband of his sleep pants while nipped and kissed at the skin on his neck. Unable to control himself in the face of so many different sensations, Daryl bucked into her. The thin material of his sleep pants provided almost no buffer between them. He could feel the heat pouring off of her as he moved against her.

Unable to wait any longer, Carol impatiently pushed at his pants urging them over his hips with his boxers and allowing his erection to spring free. He let out a groan of pleasure and relief as she took him into her hand. He pushed into her hand as she stroked him tentatively. It didn't take Daryl long to realize that if he kept this up the show would be over before they even made it to the main event. He stilled her hand and pulled out of her grasp.

He gasped into her ear as he fought to steady his breathing. She deserved more than a quick fuck and if he didn't get it together that's all she was going to get. He rolled to the side in the hopes that he wouldn't be tempted to thrust into her as soon as he got her pants off. He eagerly worked the material over her hips as she lifted up to help him. He was surprised to find that she slept without underwear.

"Fuck," he swore softly as he stroked one finger over her dripping folds. He couldn't believe he'd had that effect on her. Without warning he thrust one finger into her and she writhed against him as she kissed him in a desperate attempt to muffle her own moans. He stroked in and out as his thumb stroked a steady rhythm at her clit. Before long she was bucking against his hand and biting at his lower lip so hard he thought she might draw blood. His rhythm slowed as he brought her down from her high.

Daryl pulled his hand away and settled in at her side. His dick ached, but he would live as long as she was happy. He buried his face in her neck and stroked his fingers along her thigh. It didn't take long for Carol to break through her pleasure-induced fog. Her hand wrapped around him suddenly causing him to buck into her. He forced back a moan as she worked his cock. Soon she reached out and grabbed his bare hip and weakly pulled him toward her. He could feel her exhaustion. Neither of them had slept well recently and it was becoming increasingly obvious.

"Hey, s'okay," he whispered, "we ain't gotta—"

"I want to," she assured him. "I want you. All of you."

If that's what she wanted, he was more than happy to oblige. He hoisted himself over her once more and she positioned him at her entrance. His first thrust was an unmitigated disaster of fits and starts. Suddenly he was nervous all over again and the feel of her wrapped around him only served to make him certain that he would live up to Merle's assertion that he was little more than a two-pump chump.

Carol, sensing his newfound anxiety, reached up to push his hair out of his eyes and stroke his cheek. She opted to stay silent if only because she was afraid she'd scare him off if she said anything. Soft fingertips stroked over his skin willing him to relax. Finally he took a deep breath and slid home. Daryl kissed her deeply in an attempt to stifle the groan of utter pleasure that escaped his lips. She kissed him back eagerly as she bucked up into him. She was wrapped around him like a vise grip and he struggled to move smoothly at first.

Eventually they settled into a rhythm that had Carol's toes curling and set Daryl's body on fire. When he thought he could break their kiss without waking the prison he moved on to the skin of her skin and shoulder. He kissed and nipped and sucked gently at the sweet skin he found there. Carol's fingertips dug into his hips as she urged him deeper, harder, faster.

Suddenly she felt him tense, "Carol, I'm gonna—"

She pushed up and kissed him again, urging him to let go. His body jerked as he spilled into her and he pushed her over the edge with him. Carol bit down on his shoulder to keep from crying out as she writhed against him. When they finally came down from their shared high she could feel him shaking against her. He was exhausted, but he still fought to hold himself over her so he wouldn't crush her beneath him.

Carol urged him up just a little and shifted to her side so he could lie beside her. She pulled the blankets over top of them and pressed herself against the length of his body. She let the steady thrum of his heart lull her into relaxation. Just as she was about to drop off she reached up and cupped his cheek. "You don't have to stay," she whispered.

Daryl sighed. She was always pushing past his comfort zone, but she never failed to offer him an out. Though she hadn't necessarily been the initiator, she still offered him the choice. If he'd ever had any doubt that he wanted her, this would have sealed the deal. She knew him inside and out and it didn't scare her. He couldn't have asked for anything more. "Ain't goin' nowhere," he assured her. "Don't ever wanna go nowhere," he whispered sleepily. He pulled Carol closer to him and allowed himself to succumb to the pull of sleep.

* * *

Daryl woke with a start. He was warm and only a little tired, which was a change considering he usually awoke exhausted and fucking freezing. It took him a moment to register what had awoken him, but then rattling noise started up again. And then a whispered "Carol" penetrated the blanket. Julie was here to wake Carol to help with Judith.

"She's sleepin' and I ain't wakin' her," he grumbled sleepily.

Suddenly the blanket they'd hung for privacy moved and light from a lantern streamed into the room. Daryl quickly pulled the blanket up to cover Carol, but they were so tangled up he couldn't cover his bare chest without exposing her. He realized that even if he had been able to cover himself Julie would still have seen their clothes strewn about the room. A smug smirk settled on his features as he let her take in the scene before her.

"Go deal with Jude yourself," he directed. "She's fuckin' exhausted and I ain't makin' her get up to deal with a kid that ain't even hers."

"But no one else can get Judith down," Julie tried to argue. It sounded weak even to her own ears. Even if she was successful in waking Carol it was obvious now that pursuing Daryl further would only prove to be a waste of time. She frowned at the realization, but nodded at his direction. "I guess I can try," she conceded.

The blanket dropped back into place and Daryl heard footsteps as Julie trudged back down to Rick's cell to deal with a fussing Judith. He straightened out their blankets and settled back into the warmth of their bunk. He slipped back into a dreamless sleep without noticing the slight change in Carol's breathing that indicated that she was no longer asleep.

She'd only awoken when Daryl shifted to cover her from Julie's prying eyes even though it meant leaving himself exposed. On any other night she would have gladly gotten up to help with Judith. But tonight she had no desire to leave the warmth and relative safety of Daryl's body wrapped around hers. She listened to the distant sounds of a fussy, teething baby, a sound that would have kept her wide-awake on any other night. Despite her mothering instincts, it didn't take long for the need for sleep and the comfort of Daryl's arms to drag her back toward dreamland.

**Please let me know what ya'll think. With the start of Season 4 I'm not sure how much more of this one-shot business there will be. I suppose it depends on what AMC gives us in terms of Caryl. In any event, if you want it to keep going I'll be happy to oblige. **


	10. Days Without Incident

**This is one that's been rattling around in my brain since they released the episode title for "30 Days Without an Accident." I've started it and restarted it and let it sit and stew, but I just keep coming back to it. It's pretty different from the way I usually write so I'm a tad nervous about it. Let me know what you think!**

* * *

_It had been fifteen days since he'd returned from his ill-fated attempt to track down his misguided, but well-meaning brother. He'd stalked back through the prison gates alone to silence and looks of sympathy. Two weeks and one day since he'd sought comfort in Carol's arms in the privacy of her cell. He'd mourned silently and tearlessly as she'd held him close and rubbed his back to soothe him. Sporadic dry and heaving sobs were the only indication that anything was wrong. She'd sat up with him that entire night, giving him comfort he hadn't known he needed until she'd been there to provide it._

_It had been a long time coming. He was a calmer man than he'd been only months ago when they'd found the prison. He'd even handled Carol's "death" without so much as a hint of a meltdown, at least in front of the others. He knew he was spiraling out of control, but he didn't know how to stop it._

_He'd made it several months without an incident._

* * *

He led Carol down the dark hallway of the freshly cleared D Block. The stench of death still hung in the air because they hadn't secured the yard on that side of the building and walkers were still a threat. The sound of the safety door latching behind them made Carol jump in surprise and he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

She didn't ask where they were going or why. Daryl had been volatile in the weeks since he'd had to put his brother down and she had no interest in testing his attitude on this day. Instead she allowed him to lead her wherever it was he needed her to go.

It hadn't taken him long to morph back into that angry and potentially dangerous man she'd met at the quarry. She hoped he would find his way back.

* * *

_Twelve days. It had been twelve days since he'd blown up at her. She'd done nothing to deserve it. Wrong place and wrong time, that's all it had been. Thankfully no one else had been around to witness it. He'd yelled. He'd said awful things to her. Again. _

_It had been just less than two weeks since Carol had borne witness to a fit of temper the likes of which she hadn't seen since that night on the farm after Sophia had been found in the barn. This time she had not stood idly by. Instead she'd called him out, made him see that the things he said were only said in anger and fear. That had taken the wind out of his sails. _

_When Daryl tried to apologize later she'd cut him off. She'd told him she didn't want his apologies. She wanted him to grieve for his brother and she wanted her friend back. And then she'd walked away from him. He thought he'd lost her for good this time._

_He'd made it three days without an incident._

* * *

Daryl opened the door to the D Block infirmary. Satisfied that it was still clear of walkers, as he'd left it, he nudged Carol gently through the door. She looked back at him, her face a mask of confusion, but stepped forward anyway. Despite his erratic behavior as of late she still trusted that he'd never lead her to danger.

He ran a hand through his hair, a habit he'd picked up when he was emotionally stressed. He tugged gently at the strands before rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. He stood toe to toe with Carol crowding her up against the door. He backed away and paced the floor in front of her a few times before reclaiming his spot in front of her.

Carol watched him curiously. She'd only seen him act this way once before.

* * *

_It had been eight days since he'd… Lost his damn mind. They hadn't really spoken since she'd told him off. It certainly wasn't for lack of trying. The prison had been a disaster since Rick had brought the remaining inhabitants of Woodbury back to the prison. Trying to get D Block cleared out had proven to be a monumental task and by the time he made it back to their cell she was already asleep. _

_Their cell. That was another issue entirely. Rick had asked everyone to share and make room for the Woodbury people. Carol was set up to share with Michonne, but Daryl put a quick stop to that. It wasn't that he didn't trust Michonne, he just wanted to be able to keep his own watch on Carol._

_It had been eight days since she'd brought him dinner in the tower while he was on watch. This was not an unusual occurrence. What was unusual was his reaction to her leaving to go back into the prison. They'd eaten their meals together in silence as they usually did, but when Carol got up to leave he realized he didn't want her to go. Without much thought he'd grabbed her arm. That had been his mistake. He should have known that years of being married to a man like Ed could not be erased by a few months of freedom. She'd instinctively yanked her arm away from him. He couldn't blame her. He'd been little else but cruel and violent in the days since his return._

_He'd apologized quickly. And she'd known he was truly sorry. That he hadn't meant to frighten her. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity. They stood toe to toe with Carol's back against the wall. Before he knew what he was doing Daryl leaned even further into her space, his body pressing hers into the wall. It had been eight days since he'd kissed her in the watchtower._

_He'd made it four days without an incident._

* * *

Carol reached out to him. Her fingers closed around his wrist and she pulled him toward her. When this failed to rouse him from his thoughts she reached up to touch his face.

"Daryl," she whispered.

And that was what did him in. The sweet sound of his name on her lips. He was on her then. He claimed her mouth as he pressed her back into the door. The position wasn't unlike the one they'd ended up in, in the watchtower. It took Carol a moment to respond, but eventually he felt her relax beneath him and she kissed him back.

Suddenly the tension melted and her hands fumbled with his belt as he struggled with the buttons on her shirt.

* * *

_It had been three days since he'd found himself in her bed once again. Three days since she'd awoken him from yet another nightmare about his brother. Three days since she'd coaxed him out of his bunk and into hers to offer him comfort once again. Three days since he'd felt her smooth warm skin under his calloused fingers. _

_Again Carol had held him to her and soothed him through his grief for his brother. Again she'd carried him through his hardship without promise of even a kind word or gesture from him when it was all over. This time had been different though. This time when he'd buried his face in her neck and silently sobbed the feel of her skin under his lips was overwhelming. His first few kisses were tentative. Once she'd figured out what he was doing she'd only pulled him closer._

_His lips moved from their place on her neck to her bare shoulder and then back up her neck to the spot behind her ear. The whole time she'd barely moved. Only her quickening breath had given him any indication that she was at all affected by his actions. Eventually his hands had begun to wander. His fingertips found soft, warm skin under her shirt. He was growing braver, his hands moving higher, but it was not to be. _

_Suddenly the blanket covering the door was pulled to the side and Daryl was out of her arms and out of her bed before she could blink. Beth stood in the doorway with a fussing Judith and she at least had the good sense to look contrite. Unfortunately Daryl was out the door before any of the damage could be repaired. _

_He hadn't spoken to her since._

_He'd made it five days without an incident._

* * *

It had been three days since he'd last seen her. He hadn't been back to their cell since the disaster that was Beth's interruption. It had been three days too many. When he'd spotted her alone in the kitchen he knew he'd have to move quickly before he talked himself out of it. He'd asked her to come with him to D Block. She'd obliged without question and now here they were.

His hands clamped down on her waist as though he were afraid she'd run. His mind grew foggy as her hands moved over his torso. The clang of his belt hitting the cement floor brought him back to the present. Her hand sliding over the growing bulge in his jeans made him groan into her mouth.

He started to pull away, afraid this was all a big mistake. Afraid that once she saw him, really saw him, she'd realize she deserved better. Carol wasn't one to be deterred, though. She quickly pulled him back to her, "you don't get to start this and walk away," she panted in his ear.

That declaration drove him forward. His fingers fumbled with the button on her jeans before she reached down and released it herself. Daryl quickly pushed her pants over her hips and she assisted by stepping out of them. He knew this wasn't right, wasn't what she deserved, but he needed this. He needed her. He lifted her leg and she wrapped it around his waist as he pushed into her. She keened softly into his mouth at the contact.

Soon she reached between them and unbuttoned his jeans before pulling his rigid cock from its confines. He swore as he thrust into her hand. He was hot and hard and ready to explode in her hand. She stroked him firmly a few times before he reached down to stop her. Carol pulled his body closer and lined him up with her wet heat.

At her urging he slipped inside just a fraction of an inch, but that was more than enough for him to know he needed this. He pushed forward into her and she cried out a little before muffling the sound by pressing her face into his chest. She was so tight around him that he realized he might have hurt her. He nudged her chin up and kissed her gently.

"Sorry," he mumbled against her lips.

"Don't be," she assured as she moved against him encouraging him to keep going.

With her encouragement he moved again. His strokes were rough and a little uncoordinated as he tried to work through the tension. He dropped his head to her shoulder and she reached up to run her fingers through his hair as he thrust into her. Daryl quickly found himself at the edge and he groaned brokenly as he spilled into her. As he slumped against her it occurred to him that she hadn't been anywhere near being done when he finished. He expected to look up and find her disgusted or irritated, but instead all he found was understanding and compassion.

He reached between their bodies and coaxed her toward the finish line with his fingers. She moved to stop him, but he brushed her hand away.

"You don't have to," she panted.

"Shh," he soothed, "Want to."

He kissed her again to drown out the sound of her moans as she came on his fingers. She leaned against him as she came down from her high. She reached to stroke his face and he finally leaned into her touch rather than running from it.

He'd made it three days without an incident and he had Carol to thank for that.


End file.
